Wednesday, November 02, 2011
MOLL
I am watching three films by Jaques Becker, all crime films. All NYTimes 1176 Best Films.
Today is the earliest
I have seen this one before. It is a beautiful film. Paradoxically, as there is a lot of rough stuff but it is Belle Époque crime and so, very pretty.
The contrast between the beauty of the scenes and the occasional violence, hard and briskly applied, makes these films different from classic Noir and enjoyably so. As if a guillotine can be beautiful but is. This is a recent Criterion restoration and you can see everything.
Simone Signoret stars as the woman the guys all fall for and leaves a trail of trouble behind her. Inevitable. Serge Reggiani is her ex-con, now reformed boyfriend. Once he hooks up with Signoret, he cannot stay away from the gangs. Jean Gabin, a favorite of Becker plays the elegant gang leader.
This film would rate a 5 because I have seen it before and enjoyed it very much. But a third time is not likely. Therefore, more honest to give it a 4 out of Netflix5 as of today.
Labels: best films
