Karin wrote:
"I've seen a few films noir in recent months.
"First, Dassin's Du rififi chez les hommes (Rififi, 1955),
based on Auguste Le Breton's novel of the same name. I really
enjoyed it, but due to circumstances I missed the last half
hour or so. I'll have to get it out again."
Yes, you must. You might also want to check out Melville's Le
Cercle Rouge. Actually, everything I've seen by Melville
(definitely including the recent US release of his film about
the Resistance, blanking on the name right now) is well worth
seeing. The French sure did make great caper films.
"According to imbd, a remake with Al Pacino is in the offing.
(Do we really need it?)"
I'd answer, no. Makes me think of The Good Thief, the recent
remake of Bob Le Flambeur. Actually, I kind of enjoyed that,
if just for its perversity in being a caper film that focuses
on the diversion instead of the caper itself.
"Next, Monicelli's Tutti i soliti ignoti (Big Deal on Madonna
Street, 1958). It's got classic film noir features, but it's
a comedy inspired by Rififi."
This reminds me of Westlake's Jimmy the Kid, which alternated
chapters of a kidnapping by Richard Stark's Parker (never
bought it that he would involve himself in a kidnapping, the
human factor adding an unpredictability that Parker tends to
avoid) with the Dortmunder Gang totally screwing up while
trying to imitate the pro.
"Last, Tavernier's Coup de Torchon (Clean Slate, 1981), based
on Jim Thompson's Pop. 1280, which I really must read one of
these days."
Yes, you must. I think this was Thompson's best.
"It's as if a switch is flicked: softspoken, mild-mannered
pushover to softspoken, mild-mannered vigilante killer. In
fact, I had a little trouble buying his change."
Maybe it's because I had read the book, but I didn't see it
as that big a change. I kind of assumed he had never really
been as mild-mannered as he appeared, and as everyone
assumed, that the movie begins with how the character
presents himself to the world and slowly shifts to what he
does when no one is looking. I felt he had probably been
doing various subversions for a long time, getting bigger and
bigger, more and more open in his rebellion. So instead of a
change, I saw a passing of a threshold, as he crossed over to
murder. And then things starting being harder and harder to
hide.
"In the archives, Rene Ribic praised Kubrick's The Killing,
based on a novel by Lionel White called Clean Slate, adapted
for the screen with the help of Jim Thompson. Seems kind of
circular. Was White's Clean Slate inspired by Pop.
1280?"
Clean Slate is a caper novel about robbing a race track. All
of these characters are career criminals. It really has
nothing in common with Pop. 1280. Good book and good movie,
though.
Speaking of Thompson's novel, a sign outside the town in
James Sallis's Cripple Creek states, "Pop, 1280." I kept
waiting for the sheriff to turn into a whacko.
Mark
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 11 Aug 2006 EDT