Review of Bob le Flambeur (1956) by Eric F — 25 Jul 2009
I've considered giving this an extra half a star, but the last scene is so ridiculous that I'm finding it hard to do so. Seriously, that last joke is so bad and the scene seems to tacked on and different from what came before that it could have ended with a rimshot.
It ruins the mood completely. It's very different than Melville's post-Le Samourai films, and like in Le Doulos, there's a sense of humor beneath the surface that he seems to have abandoned at some point.
If in most of his other films Melville chooses not to over explain what we are seeing or what the characters are doing (sometimes he doesn't explain anything at all), here he spends half the movie showing in his usual meticulous way, sometimes verbally and using narration, exactly how Bob's casino heist is going to unfold along with all the reasons why it's going to work.
.. Only to spend the rest of the movie showing with the same sort of meticulous detail why it won't. In the end, he still manages to surprise with a twist that not only makes sense, but fits the movie and the main character perfectly.
The movie's like the ultimate bait and switch, and it pays off the build-up in a satisfying way without any actual pay off. Even if the production values are a little on the low side and Melville doesn't seem to be completely at ease in the director's chair yet, this is a superb piece of cinema and quite stylish to boot.
This movie is what Ocean's 11 (all of them) wishes to be.
This review of Bob le Flambeur (1956) was written by Eric F on 25 Jul 2009.
Bob le Flambeur has generally received very positive reviews.
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