Review of Le Cercle Rouge (1970) by Paul B — 04 Jun 2011

Revisiting Le Cercle Rouge: irresistible style, and morose acting of the highest order; Delon, Montand, everyone's great. It's got that washed-out 70s look, a very languid pace, subtle tension, precision, tragic dimensions, pathos and compassion.

One of the great heist films, and perhaps, in its effort to portray seemingly random connections in a meaningful way, anticipates a more modern sense of synchronicity or interconnectedness. It seems as though the main interpretation is fate, however the coincidental connections that arise suggest a pattern.

Is it a pattern the characters themselves are privy to? Not at all, which makes the viewer perspective somewhat privileged. We see a pattern they don't. Who is observing the observers? Is it fate or something more than random connection? Do we attribute meaning to fate? Or is it indifferent? Fascinating.