This was a rather more than faithful adaptation of the Pierre Lesou's novel. A fierce story about two vengeance schemes involved one in the other. Two friends decide to avenge the death of one of their own and then kill a cop whose his friend decides to avenge him...Follow me? You have here one of best Michel Constantin's performances ever. Don't miss him facing Michel Bouquet. His lines are unforgettable. But something is missing, if you compare to the book. HOW DAN ROVEL'S CHARACTER GETS OUT OF JAIL? No one seems to have noticed this detail.Typical from Yves Boisset about the power of police, and the way cops sometimes can trespass the law. A true powerful film.

Yves Boisset is a very special director, he has made many good films, most importantly, in my opinion, "The Assassination" (1972), with the great Gian Maria Volontè and many other exceptional actors, and "Dog Day"(1984) , with the unparalleled Lee Marvin. In "The Assassination", as a corrupt lawyer, we find the extraordinary Michel Bouquet, who here, in "The Cop", he is the cop, a policeman like you have not seen in other movies, a cop with an original philosophy, kindred somehow, with Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry. But different! Michel Bouquet is an actor who does not need too many specific means or too many replicas to create memorable characters, Michel Bouquet is an absolute force, only by the way he looks, moves and breathes. Likewise, but in another register, it is Michel Constantin, who also plays a smaller role, but, as usual, natural, impeccable. Françoise Fabian is beautiful and natural. Probably the best part of Gianni Garko. So, Bernard Fresson. Adolfo Celi, a small role too but, as usual, very effective. Rufus, Théo Sarapo, Henri Garcin, Pierre Massimi, the same, very good. Need absolutely to be seen!

Tough-as -Cop thriller from a clearly not-so-belle France, directed with a real flair for capturing gritty urban violence by Yves Boisset, whose muscular direction translates into suitably grimy thick-ear entertainment. Michel Bouquet is genuinely chilling as the hard boiled copper whose amoral and brutal journey to avenge the fruitless death of a fellow officer leads him deep into a violent existential nightmare. 'Un Conde' is a magnificently bleak, philosophical euro crime from France which works brilliantly as a savage expose of police barbarity, dealing unflinchingly with the ultimate societal conundrum; must one become like the beasts in order to deal with the beast? The only thing that mars this fabulous Gallic treat is that the source VHS print is a trifle muddy. A lush full-monty DVD-Bluray needs to be organised for this fine example of French Nihilism.

Un conde is a very depressing film about a cop who gets tired of crime after a tragic gunfight. The cop starts his personal vendetta that goes far beyond the law.The films imagery is laconic and slow. Many off the scenes are shot with very little light.Acting is very motionless and slow to make the film look sad and depressing. There is no beautiful or happy scenes. Every character in this film have serious problems. I don't know that to whom this kind of films are made for. Only pleasurable thing is that dialogue is in french. The film offers nothing but depressing scenes of violence and mourning. Still it could be worth seeing for if one likes to feel gloomy. Rating: 2/10