Bob le Flambeur review: The plot was a complex saga. The film captured some brief shots of Paris in a noir mood. It gave a classic sensation to the picture. The movie didn't have a gripping tone. The characters had a deep nature that was underneath the surface. In addition I loved the vehicles that were driven for an example, the Cat-lax, and other stylish 1950s vehicles. I am in shock that Jean-Pierre Melville had directed that movie because it wasn't as great like his other titles such as 'Le Doulos' and 'A cop'. I was supremely disappointed. Sadly the substance was weak. But then again it was the picture he had choreographed before those two films in the 1950s. That title didn't have enough scenes of pure French scenery unfortunately. The costume and production designing could of been at it rich climax. But on the other hand my ears were trapped when I heard the Jazz soundtrack that was played by expensive instruments. I could easily tale that it had a powerful Hollywood inspiration. It had a strong French style I give the motion picture a 5 ½ 10

One of the greatest gangster films of all time, only Rififi really surpasses "Bob the Gambler". Although Melville's work predates the nouvelle vague movement by a few years, this stunning film clearly paves the way for the movement with its innovative editing, fast pace, use of non-professional actors, location shooting and unconventional story structure.The energy these techniques inject is a far cry from the stilted, stage-bound dramas such as Christian-Jaque's Nana that were being produced in France at the same time.The character of Bob is well-drawn and his gambling addiction is by turns tragic and farcical (he even has a slot machine in his wardrobe).The momentum builds throughout but, like Hamlet, there is deceptively little action. The audience is left in suspense as they are taken through the planning phase of the audacious heist and then witness it unravel before it even begins.The 16 year old non-professional Isabelle Corey does an excellent job in a brave role. Her mixture of naivety and street-awareness comes across well, so the decision to use an amateur is well-justified.The noir lighting techniques and cinematography are still fresh in this film and the outdoor settings are what lend it the new vitality. This also reinforces the notion that this film is taking place in a real underworld, that you could go out tonight and walk around the very same streets in Montmartre and Pigalle as these gangsters inhabit.Of course, it is Bob's gambling addiction that also, expectedly, leads to his downfall as his one winning streak ultimately proves to be his unluckiest of all. Of course, that is contrived but it works well and, again, helps to build the suspense of the film.The ending is both fulfilling and subversive. Again, there is a hint of realism as the audience knows that, in real life, gangsters would be unlikely to succeed in such a scheme and that so many criminals are foiled from the outset. The ending is rapid and encapsulates the energy and freshness of the film as a whole. Bob is left standing, the old man who can no longer keep up with the energy of the new world and burnt out by his gambling.Melville proves himself to be a true auteur here and sets a pattern for Godard, Truffaut and co to follow. In that sense, this is a revolutionary and highly-satisfying film.

A gambler (Bob) down on his luck agrees to a heist. As another reviewer noted you have the typical thug ecology with split loyalties informers and trouble making women and in this one a well meaning cop.The moral of the movie is to never tell anyone particularly a female anything about your business.It is boiler plate good... so gets a 6 nothing really unusually good about it. Sort of like a decent novel but not one by Graham Greene which would net a 7.I enjoy the reviews that suggest other avenues to explore; Netflix streaming doesn't have the cream of crop but you can find good sleepers and others not in high demand. Plus the real advantage: you can stop watching a dog.

This is such a great movie, that does about everything right. It's an early French crime caper movie, that obviously helped to set the standards for later movies.It's not like there weren't any movies like this prior to this movie but this is one that has all of the modern genre element type of ingredients in it, that we can still see back in todays movies. It perhaps makes this movie seem as a bit of a formulaic and generic one by todays standards but in the light of when this movie got made, it surely is a greatly original one. And it still really is one that is among the best, regardless of the fact that you probably have seen all of the elements in this movie being handled in later ones and better known ones as well.It has a great story with some equally great characters in it. It's a very rich movie that also manages to capture the right tone, thanks to some fine directing. It has lots of typical crime elements in it, such as an heist, likable 'bad guys' and the cat and mouse game between them and the police.It really is a fine made movie, that got directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. The movie has a good look over it, as well as a nice steady pace. The scene's are being build up great and the entire story gets told effectively. It's a great 'how-to' on directing and storytelling. It feels really like a Hollywoodized version of a French movie but in this case that's a good thing. It's also why this also helped to influence movies from Hollywood as well.No reason why to not like this movie.9/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/