For a police thriller, this movie chose the strange angles of architecture and fashion from which to tell the story. Throughout, the film actively tries to showcase a new, modern France. In the weird opening sequence, we see a sea-side resort with an endless row of brand-new apartment blocks, totally void of human presence in a foul winter-weather. Strangely, from afar, a shop in one of the buildings seem open. Because of the abundant lighting, we might be tempted to think it's a bar, but it's a bank (about to be robbed). The police headquarters is another modern building given lots of camera-attention by Melville, who seems to juxtapose this 'new' France to the old; the contrasts with scenes of the 'old Paris' such as the closing scenes at the Arc de Triomphe are great.The male characters seem to spend an inordinate amount of time to groom their looks. Both Alain Delon and the excellent bad guy Richard Crenna (Simon) are given lengthy shots showing them combing their hair. They parade around in flawless suits, slick ties, lush bathrobes, gold cuff links. These are sharp dressed men, vain and self-obsessed, misogynist and gay-bashing. The gorgeous can-can girls are there (like in so many other Melville movies) but no-one seems to notice them. Delon manipulates a beautiful transvestite into thinking he might fall for her charms, only to beat her up when she fails to deliver on a promise.Catherine Deneuve on the other hand seems less well served, sartorially speaking; I was not very impressed with her acting performance in this film, but perhaps my judgment is influenced by the ugly earrings she wears throughout. The closing titles highlight that the black dress worn by 'Mademoiselle Deneuve' was by Yves Saint Laurent. I don't know why this was pointed out, since the dress is hideous. Deneuve's finest moment was when she plays an angel of death, wearing a haute couture caricature of the nurse uniform. Quentin Tarantino must have been directly inspired by this to create Daryl Hannah's nurse look when she is set to murder Uma Thurman at the start of Kill Bill vol 1.All in all, the plot was not that interesting, but since the male actors were all in terrific form it was a very pleasurable movie to watch.

A gang formed by Simon (Richard Crenna), Paul Weber (Riccardo Cucciolla), Louis Costa (Michael Conrad) and Marc Albouis (André Pousse) heist a remote bank during a stormy afternoon. However Marc is seriously wounded and they leave him in a clinic after hiding the money in a sophisticated scheme. Meanwhile the cold Police Inspector Edouard Coleman (Alain Delon) is investigating the murder of a woman and his informer, the travesty Gaby (Valérie Wilson), tells about a shipment of heroin carried by the mule Suitcase Matthew (Léon Minisini) by the train to Lisbon. Then Coleman heads to a nightclub owned by Simon, who is his friend, to meet his mistress Cathy (Catherine Deneuve). When Simon learns that the police force is tracking down the wounded thief in hospitals and clinics and the dragnet will certainly find Marc, he goes with the gang and Cathy to kill him. Then Simon plots the robbery of Matthew's drug in the train using a helicopter. When Coleman intercepts Matthew, he does not find the drug shipment and believes that Gaby is not giving good information to him. But when Coleman discover that Marc Albouis is dead, he connects him to Louis Costa and then to the unemployed middle-aged banker Paul Weber and Simon. They bug Simon's telephone and Soleman heads to confront his friend. "Un Flic", a.k.a. "Dirty Money", is a gritty police story and last movie by Jean-Pierre Melville. The story is cold, with few dialogs and the bank and train robberies are very well detailed through long scenes. Inspector Edouard Coleman is an emotionless character near the thin line between right and wrong. He sees his investigation of drugs entwining with the bank heist and the leader of the gang is his friend. Further Coleman and Simon share the same mistress that is capable to kill a man injecting air in his vein and this weird threesome seems to affect his last attitude. My vote is six.Title (Brazil): "Expresso para Bordeaux" ("Express Train to Bordeaux")

Being Melville my favorite director ever and this his final film, what could I say .I was speechless when I first saw it years ago and even today after several views it still amazes me. Doubtless this was a great ending to his outstanding career, the man who redefined the film noir himself and whose films ,at least half a dozen of them, should be placed among the greatest pieces of film noir ever filmed could not do wrong in his Swang song .And he didn't do wrong indeed, probably it ain't as good as Le Doulous , LeSamurai , Bom Le Flambeur a, Circle Rouge and so on but it comes closer , which by any means does mean that this movie deserves less than a 10 . Initial scene , when the gang arrive to the bank they have planned to rob under the pouring rain , is so beautifully filmed that has become one of my favorite moments in his career.Melville came back once again to his traditional obsessions ( solitude , crime & betrayal, revenge ) and placed them into an amazing heist movie , as a way to explore the human nature.Once again Delon nailed it as the solitary cop and is the prefect vehicle to put face to all these themes. His performance is so chilled out and so classy , in the vein of the silent Jeff Costello , that this is another classic display of acting , no matter whether he plays a thief or a cop you always wanted him to win.You can predict much of the themes and situations you can face here if you've seen Melville's previous films , but nonetheless this doesnñt make them any lessexciting . Plot is pretty basic ,stripped to the very necessary, but what makes the movie are its silences and its ambiances ,totally filled up with hopelessness and despair . Don'texpect much talk here , Melville , unlike Tarantino, can pass on the message through without needing thousands of senseless speeches . In the end whether Delon will catch Crenna didn't seem to matter much, at that point you have come to know and love the characters as they are and how this will end up becomes secundary.

Well, Melville has done it again (or did it again 34 years ago when this movie came out). He has created an excellent cat and mouse story. Another addition to his incomparable body of work. A weary and wise police detective (Alain Delon with his piercing eyes) is solving Paris' serious crimes. Along comes Simon (Richard Crenna) and his band of thieves who exact a couple of daring, nearly perfect crimes. By chance the police get a clue and go about pursuing the criminals. The further into the film we go, the more complex the story becomes. Both men are friends/more than friends with Cathy (the exquisite Catherine Deneuve at her iciest), and they are acquainted with each other. As the police close in on Simon and his band, destroying them in the process, the commissioner goes about his business with a dull matter-of-factness. Tomorrow will bring another crime to solve.This movie is like chevre (goat cheese) rolled in ash. That tart, distinct taste is recognizable anywhere. It may be a bit of an acquired taste, but once drawn in, it awakens and enlivens the taste buds with each consumption. The ash gives it a bit of grit, which blends perfectly with the flavor. 8/10 http://blog.myspace.com/locoformovies