Review of Le Cercle Rouge (1970) by Nishlank J — 14 Aug 2010

First off, the film is not from 2003--that is the Criterion DVD release date--it was released in 1970 and was Melville's next to last film (Un Flic being his final one). That being said, Le Cercle Rouge is nor (and film in general) at its finest.

Melville's direction is tight and awe-inspiring, the cinematography is beautiful, and Alain Delon (as well as the other actors) is truly magnificent. Delon and Melville have the kind of noir magic probably only witnessed before between Bogart and Huston.

Le Cercle Rouge begins oddly for noir film with a Buddhist story about people being fated to meet within the red circle. From the opening shots of the film, Melville's characters are driven towards their ultimate fate at the film's end and the film is indeed epic in scope.

Ultimately, Melville's film explores the argument that all men are guily, an argument put forward by the police chief. And, in the final analysis, all people in this film are guilty of one crime or another.

Asidfe from its exploration of tha amorality of the human race, Melville's film is also enjoyable on a purely surface level: billiard halls, executions, escaped convicts, hallucinagenically depicted bouts of delerium tremens, intricatly planned heists, etc.

all compose a film that is as aesthetically pleasing as it is pure bad ass and cool.