Melville's Classics ends...

The French Connection – Les Films de Jean-Pierre Melville

The late Jean-Pierre Melville is known to many as the director of gangster films.  The veteran French actor Lino Ventura as well as Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon frequently starred in his films.  Known for his rich atmospheric detail of sets, props and wardrobe, Melville’s films are stunning to look at, despite being mostly in black and white.

The last week of Melville films continues and ends this Saturday and Sunday Aug 22nd and 23rd.

For a complete schedule, screening times, venue and ticket pricing, check the Cinematheque website at:
http://www.cinemathequeontario.ca

LE DOULOS (France 1962) ****
Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville

As Melville’s gangster film noir begins, the titles explaining the term DOULOS go into detail from ‘hat’ to police informer before he grounds his film with his two main characters.  One is a shady Silien (Jean-Paul Belmondo in one of his most serious roles) and the other a hapless but still ruthless recently released convict Maurice (Serge Reggiani).  Maurice’s murder of a very good friend Gilbert (Rene Lefebre) throws the audience off the plot.  But Melville’s film comes to satisfactory fruition just as his protagonists gradually reveal their true nature.  In the world of LE DOULOS, betrayal and killings are common and loyalties and romances are non-existent.  Melville often takes his time to create a scene and mood with exceptional results. To die or to live….are the words splashed on the screen before the starting credits.  The climatic confrontational scene is just as compelling as the lengthy set-up scene with Maurice walking in the night to meet Gilbert.  Melville’s black and white cinematography and camerawork are as impressive as the performances he elicits from his actors.
(Screening at 7 pm on Aug 23rd Sunday at the Cinematheque Ontario)

LE SILENCE DE LA MER (France 1949) ***
Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville

Set in 1949 during the German Occupation of France, the plot revolves around three characters.  Two French villagers, a man and daughter have to put up with a German officer staying upstairs at their house in an unnamed village.  Though no words are exchanged between the French and the German, a lot of communication is incurring.  The German officer, obviously a prude has ideals of France and Germany uniting in culture.  During the evenings upon his return to the house, he speaks his mind in French while the father and daughter remain silent.  Their thoughts are communicated to the audience in words.  Melville’s film is sparse, slow moving with lots of voiceover.  Nothing really outstanding about this early work except for the film’s idealistic content!
(Screening at 7 pm on Aug 22nd Saturday at the Cinematheque Ontario)