But certainly not a comedy, though there are here some light hearted elements, but that don't spoil the whole. Excellent performances, that you won't forget. The main thing to be emphasized on is the atmosphere, this unique atmosphere from the early sixties, Paris, suburb and the dialogues. For nostalgia buffs like me. It is really worth watching. Nothing to do however with Melville's world. Lino Ventura is here tough, rough, but strangely not that smart after all. His character is close to the other ones he had in other films of this kind, but I repeat, everything turns against him. Very interesting to watch from a lead character. Look at his face on the phone when he talks to his girl friend at the end. And Ventura's face too when George Geret - whom he seeks to take revenge from - comes and visit's Ventura painting store, watch out for Ventura's face then... And also it is interesting to analyze Ventura's wrath against George Geret - very annoying in his character's behavior - then suddenly showing empathy for him about Geret's wife death for, some time later, come and - SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER - kill Geret on the merry go round, in the typical DEUXIEME SOUFFLE (Ventura's next film, which it seems here to be some kind of a warm up, a character preparation) manner. Very strange turn in character, very rare in a film, without rational explanation. Excellent ending.
Review of Cloportes
