Le Doulos December 14, 2007

“One must choose: die or lie?”—Le Doulos

A doulos, or police informer, played by Jean-Paul Belmondo, is at the center of Jean-Pierre Melville’s gripping tale of underworld thievery and betrayal. Stylishly adapting the iconography and even the wardrobe of American film noir, Melville grounds the story in French crime story conventions, including a breath-taking plot twist late in the tale. Melville’s influence and reputation have continued to grow since his premature death in 1973, and Le Doulos shows him at the top of his form. With Serge Reggiani, Jean Desailly, and Michel Piccoli. (108 mins., 35mm)

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