CRIME AS AN ART FORM : "LE SAMOURAI"

Ok, this one is definitely one for the more “art film” genre. Dating from 1967 and directed by French director Jean-Pierre Melville, Le Samourai is a wonderful example of “film noir”, right from the days where it was at its most famous. But be warned, it is a French art film of a film noir, so although all the elements are there, if you are not a fan of art cinema you may want to give this one a miss. Yet, if you think you can see it to the end, go for it, it’s such a classic example of its genre that it’s a real education to watch it. Our hero is Jeff Costello (played by a young, and in my opinion very dashing Alain Delon). Jeff is a hitman. He is one of the best there is. His services come at a price but he is discreet and efficient. Jeff has an on again-off again girlfriend. She doesn’t mind when he doesn’t come around though. She is just happy to see him when he does. His life is mostly taken up by his work, his home is Spartan, in fact to look at him, Jeff seems half man and half machine – and more of the machine than the man at that… But one day an error, a tiny error will upturn Jeff’s carefully planned life. He is spotted while committing his latest murder, starting a city-wide manhunt. Jeff is suspected but with no evidence left behind he is let off – for now. The police chief however, is pretty sure Jeff is up to no good and will keep on his trail. This turn of events does not sit well with Jeff’s shady bosses, who reckon that the only way to solve this mess, now that Jeff is a liability is to bump him off. Thus, caught between a rock and a hard place; Jeff will have to use all his skills and ingenuity to come out of this alive. Now, like I said, this is a classic film noir. Not a lot of dialogue – heck, not that much in the way of props either in places – hardly any exposition and a typical “antihero” who is very hard to sympathize with at first (apart from the fact that he is Alain Delon and in my view drop dead gorgeous). But if you persevere and get past the initial exposition plus murder that starts the film proper; the tension begins to build. With two different parties chasing him and various shady plots intersecting Melville’s reticence to give out information works to his advantage because landmark events start rolling and we begin biting our nails because we as the audience have literally no clue as to how the film will go on, in fact as he is more experienced in this field we can never quite be sure what Jeff is going to do next, and believe me he is full of surprises… As I said though, this is basically a typical film noir, complete with a femme fatale and a not so happy ending (don’t be mad, I didn’t actually give it away!). I’d say, look past the fact that it is a French art film apart from being possibly one of the most suspense filled films you have seen in a while, hunker down and watch it. You will not regret it.