Le Cercle Rouge (1970)

Directed by: Jean-Pierre Melville | 140 minutes | thriller, crime | Actors: Alain Delon, André Bourvil, Gian-Maria Volonte, Yves Montand, Paul Crauchet, Paul Amiot, Pierre Collet, André Ekyan, Jean-Pierre Posier, François Périer, Yves Arcanel, René Berthier, Jean-Marc Boris, Jean Champion, Yvan Chiffre, Anna Douking, Robert Favart, Roger Fradet, Édouard Francomme, Jean Franval, Jacques Galland, Jean-Pierre Janic, Pierre Lecomte, Jacques Léonard, Jacques Leroy, Jean Pignol, Robert Rondo, Stéphanie Fugain, Guy Henry

In Buddhism, the principle of the red circle is known. According to that ‘law’, people who are meant for each other always meet again. There is no escaping this destiny, for it has been determined by a higher power. The principle of the red circle fascinated Jean-Pierre Melville, the French filmmaker best known for tragic neo-noirs such as ‘Le Samouraï’ (1967) and considered the ‘godfather’ of the Nouvelle Vague. His films are characterized by Melville’s overriding passion for America and the American classic film. Gangsters, hard-boiled detectives and heists can often be found in his oeuvre, which is unfortunately limited due to his early death. In his crime film ‘Le cercle rouge’ (1970), Melville (who had changed his name out of admiration for writer Herman Melville) focuses on the Buddhist red circle. Three criminals and an exasperated police officer are bound together by fate and cannot escape it. Leading roles are for Alain Delon, Gian-Maria Volonté and André Bourvil.

Corey (Alain Delon) spent years in prison but is now being released for good behavior. Shortly before he is allowed to go out into the wide world again, a corrupt cop points him to an easy-to-find jewelry heist. Corey actually wants to improve his life, but can’t resist the temptation to get easy money. The first thing he does as soon as he gets out is pay a visit to his former mobster boss Rico (André Ekyan), who he steals a pack of money so he can flee to the countryside. There he runs into Vogel (Gian-Maria Volonté). Vogel, a serious criminal, has just spectacularly escaped from the hands of the judiciary. On his way to prison, he escaped the supervision of his guard, police officer Mattei (André Bourvil). Mattei is determined to get him back, and Vogel is determined to stay out of his hands. Corey drives Vogel to Paris, where he accommodates his new buddy in his apartment. He presents the jewel heist plan to him and Vogel immediately agrees. He also proposes to involve an old friend, the alcoholic ex-cop Jansen (Yves Montand). The three set up a plan, which they implement one late night, meanwhile hot on the heels of the bold Mattei.

Quentin Tarantino once said: “Melville did for the crime film what Leone did for the western.”” He does not hide his admiration for the Frenchman. John Woo is also known as a big fan of Melville. ‘Le cercle rouge’ is a stylish crime film that mainly radiates coldness and aloofness. Shot in gray colors in gray locations; the warmth is hard to find. The characters, each convincingly portrayed, are elusive. Maybe it’s because they are silent a lot. There are entire fragments of film where no sound (including no music) can be heard, for example during the entire heist scene that Melville spreads over about twenty minutes of film. Excruciatingly slow and eerily silent, things pass you by, without ever getting boring. You could say that the director takes his time with his film. Melville speaks with his images, not with words. He shows a bunch of cold-blooded machos who commit the perfect crime. What he tells may not be that special, but the way he shows it to us is extraordinary. The film is also fantastically photographed by Henri Decae, who comes up with beautiful shots (a good example is the scene on the train).

Melville also brings out the best in his actors. Alain Delon shows why he was one of the leading actors in French cinema in the 1960s and 1970s. His Corey is quiet but sinister and mysterious as well. The Italian Gian-Maria Volonté portrays the life-threatening criminal Vogel as a ticking time bomb. Yves Montand, nota bene a singer by origin, can indulge himself as the dandy, the former cop who has gone down the drain. His ruthless predilection for spirits has completely gripped him, as witnessed by the hallucination scene with which his character is introduced. Could Danny Boyle have been inspired by ‘Le cercle rouge’ for ‘Trainspotting’ (1996)? An honorable mention is also given to André Bourvil, originally a comic actor who often acted as a reporter in the films of Louis de Funès. His casting in ‘Le cercle rouge’ is daring but turns out excellent. He is the calm heart in a tangle of crime and corruption. Police officer Mattei is also the only character who opens up a bit to the viewer, he is less elusive than the rest. Bourvil was already seriously ill during the shooting and died shortly before the premiere of the film at the age of 53 from Kahler’s disease. The only lack in the cast is a decent female character. Now it has become a real men’s film, albeit one that is also particularly enjoyable for women.

‘Le cercle rouge’ is an excellent first acquaintance with Jean-Pierre Melville, who was one of the first to succeed in giving a typically American phenomenon such as the heist film a European twist. His film, shot in an atmospheric and stylish way in gray and gray tones, moves past you at times painfully slow and there is little spoken. The music is also used sparingly. But let the images speak for themselves. The acting is of such a high level that you really don’t need a lot of words to immerse yourself in the chilly but very cool world of Jean-Pierre Melville.