Saw this 5/10/15. Le Gang fails as a period piece since little shown in the film looks as if it belongs in the 1940's. The story, such as it is, relates the true exploits of a bunch of robbers who used front wheel drive vehicles in the getaway, hence the newspapers of the day came up with the label le gang traction avant. Otherwise predictable goings on, with Delon smirking his way through every shot. There are a few good action sequences, which require Delon to run and jump and withhold the smirk until after running and jumping. Story is told from the perspective of the Delon character's moll, but she provides little of interest herself and completely fails as a conduit for the storyline. One noticeable ingredient is the bouncy, "spirited" music credited to Carlo Rustichelli – unsurprising since it sounds an awful lot like Nino Rota's score for Juliet of the Spirits (1965). Next time Rustichelli should borrow music with a less obvious signature!
3 Reviews
Entertaining but average caper movie.
Infofreak17 January 2002
'The Gang' is a watchable, but ultimately forgettable crime film. Alain Delon has charisma to spare, as can be seen in his performances in movies like 'Le Samourai' and 'Girl on a Motorcycle', but charisma isn't enough to save this under-written movie. A bad perm doesn't help any either!
Delon plays Robert, the leader of a small group of criminals in 1940's France. They band together and robs banks and factories with some success. Enough success to make them nationally known as the "front-wheel drive gang". 'The Gang' is told from the viewpoint of Robert's wife Marinette (Nicole Calfari), and is much a love story as a caper movie. Pity the characters aren't more interesting, and the plot less predictable. For rabid Alain Delon fans only. Otherwise, don't bother.
Delon plays Robert, the leader of a small group of criminals in 1940's France. They band together and robs banks and factories with some success. Enough success to make them nationally known as the "front-wheel drive gang". 'The Gang' is told from the viewpoint of Robert's wife Marinette (Nicole Calfari), and is much a love story as a caper movie. Pity the characters aren't more interesting, and the plot less predictable. For rabid Alain Delon fans only. Otherwise, don't bother.
Pierrot Le Fou
searchanddestroy-111 January 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This story is inspired from actual events that occurred shortly after WW2. The Traction Avant gang, a notorious batch of gangsters who robbed many banks aboard Traction Avant sedans. As far as I know, that was the only film made about this. In waiting of the movie PIERROT LE FOU, announced for next year, starring Jean-Pierre Martins. This film is made for Delon, and directed by a good worker, Jacques Deray, who already made BORSALINO. Vivid atmosphere with a tremendous score, but it remains only a correct film, not as terrific as FLIC STORY, still made by Deray with: guess who...Delon. Yes. We find here the usual supporting character, the same we found in FLIC STORY: Maurice Barrier. An excellent supporting heavy in many french features. Nicole Calfan, here at her peak, is refreshing. She has always been. A typical french gangster movie, where Alain Delon plays the character of the actual Pierre Loutrel, even this name was not used. In this film, Andre Falcon plays a jewel store owner, as he did in Claude Lelouch's LA BONNE ANNEE.
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