After picking up auteur film maker Jacques Becker's Casque d'Or,I remembered that I had gotten hold of another Becker Film Noir ages ago,that I've never got round to watching.Finding the title in a DVD folder,I got set to once again enter Becker's Film Noir world.The plot:Stealing bars of gold,gentlemen gangsters Max Menteur and pal Henri Riton get set for the perfect retirement.Despite knowing the rules of the land,Max reveals to his mistress Josey about the robbery.Unknown to Max,Josey has recently become the lover of up- coming gangster Angelo Fraiser.Learning about the robbery,Fraiser and his gang decide to show the gentlemen gangsters that a new group rule the land.View on the film:Showing not one drop of sweat (even by burning cars!) Jean Gabin gives an incredible performance as Max le Menteur,whose time in the Film Noir shadows Gabin shows to have given Max a burning confidence in getting the job done in a minimalist,deadly manner. Creeping up on Max, Lino Ventura gives a cool as ice performance as Angelo Fraiser,with Ventura gleefully biting Fraiser's viciousness,whilst the stunning Jeanne Moreau heats up the screen as sharp-witted Femme Fatale Josey.Taken from the pages of Albert Simonin's book,the screenplay by co- writer/(along with Maurice Griffe and Simonin) director Jacques Becker covers every corner of the movie in cracking dialogue,which grinds with near the knuckle gangster one liners with a delicate thoughtfulness expressing the world-weariness Max is carrying.Along with the explosive dialogue,the writers superbly build upon Becker's major themes,where Max is haunted by doubts over loyalty in the Film Noir world, and also well aware of being a lone voice outcast against Fraiser's crowd.Keeping Max's suits pin-sharp,director Becker & cinematographer Pierre Montazel brilliantly keep a close eye for when dialogue is not needed,which allows ultra-stylish, winding staircase shoot-outs and looming shadows over Max's professional daily routine to blossom on screen.Raining down with bullets,Becker strikes a pristine balance in keeping Max's exchanges heating up a tense Film Noir atmosphere which boils over,as Max's hopes and gold melts away.

Gabin once again takes the role of the confident man, Monsieur Max, who keeps many friends and as many girlfriends. I didn't know Dary, and he does a pretty good job of playing Riton, the less successful and probably partially jealous friend of Max. Of course Riton will royally screw up by boasting his heist to his girlfriend, so that she can tell her own lover that Riton and Max have 96kg of pure gold bars. The use of argot was very enjoyable, and so was the high number of scenes where these gangsters are casually drinking. It might have lacked of climax, but then is it really important? In the same league as Rififi chez des hommes. The theme song was surprisingly memorable. Many slower scenes (the dance scene, teethbrushing scene ("tu peux te laver les crochets")) added a nice touch to an overall very pleasant cinematic experience.

Max(Jean Gabin) is a gentleman gangster with a penchant for nice suits and champagne and the brains of the criminal partnership, the other being his long time friend and partner in crime, Riton (René Dary),"the muscle" so to speak of their partnership, together they have just pulled off a substantial heist and are now 50 million francs better off in gold bars. Max likes the easy life of night clubs and restaurants, he isn't greedy and now intends to retire with his fortune, Riton agrees, but he inadvertently tells his young night club dancer girlfriend Josy (Jeanne Moreau)of his large stash of Grisbi(Loot/Swag), she has been two timing him with the much younger and very ambitious crook Angelo, Josy of course informs him and using this knowledge Angelo sets out to take it from Max. Max suspicious that he is being followed confides in Riton that something is about to happen,he also tells his old friend how he discovered Josy's infidelity, Riton is furious and leaves Max's safe haven to take revenge on his younger adversary.Riton ends up in a trap and is kidnapped by Angelo, demanding Max release the gold as ransom. Touchez pas au grisbi isn't so much an action crime flic as it is a no action one, we never get to see the heist or the every day violence of the criminal fraternity, Becker's film is much more about the silences between the crimes and the everyday mundaneness of the criminals life, their conversations, their dining habits etc… this ploy is all the more effective when the film explodes at its climax with the type of violence you would expect of a typical Crime film. A forerunner of Dassin's Rififi or more obviously Melville's Bob Le Flambeur, Touchez pas au Grisbi is a fine film that some might find a little dull, but its romantic vision of Parisien criminal lives is still very intriguing and a welcome alternative to the stereotypical hoods of the genre. Gabin is nothing short of superb as the aging gangster, willing to give up his position and power for the easy life, his relationship with his loyal friend Riton is more like that of a married couple who are still friends after many years together but ultimately wonder why they ever got together, we are only given one glimpse of Max's rage towards his friend in a brief voice over, where Max lets fly at his companions stupidity, that might cost them both their lives and their Grisbi, other than that Max is a cool operator, nothing fazes him, even as the plot thickens and a quick response is required to save Riton's life, Max is just as easy going as he always is, he might just as easily be at home brushing his teeth or folding his pyjamas again, we never quite know what Max is thinking. The understated pate eating scene is superbly orchestrated by Becker ,there is hardly any dialogue but through gestures and eye movements, we learn an awful lot about their relationship…..Touchez pas au Grisbi in the hands of Becker is both elegant and evocative and a pleasure to behold and as French Noir goes its right up there with the best.

The movie is a story of friendship that lasts.Max (Jean Gabin)is an ageing gangster, and indeed from early on the weighty and slowing down feeling of age is a daily preoccupation for Max. The opening scene is a view of the day's newspaper announcing that 50 million in gold bullion is still missing. Clearly Max has something to do with it.Max and his best pal, the similarly ageing Riton have young girlfriends who evidently engage in prostitution and drugs. In the opening scene Max is holding court at a local restaurant which is apparently closed to outsiders. max is clearly the man of influence, the man with the money. the "godfather" in his small fiefdom. Much of the set up of the entire story is allowing the viewer to see the day to day world of gangster middle management. The ordinary things that Max and co. do is really unique including discussing food, body functions and relationships personal and professional.Something is not all well at the "office". WHile Max and Riton are clearly honorable amongst their own, this is not practiced by all in their sphere as it is clear for some reason armed men associated with the club they frequent are trying to trap them. And as we find out, all know the "loot" is missing and Max is likely to have it, and many will do questionable and murderous things to try to get the info on its whereabouts.Look for Jeanne Moreau as the heartless and duplicitous Josy--she's fantastic.A non-pretentious look at the gangster world with some unexpected and somewhat shocking scenes of violence.Some hilarious translation in the Criterion subtitles like "Those babes are a real health hazard" and "you expect thanks for causing a flap in my hen house".Becker outdid himself in this film--every person in the movie was significant, all direction perfect.