Review of Le Samouraï (1967) by James M — 29 May 2007
In Melville's intricately designed film about a sleek hitman, Alain Delon shines as the infamous Jef Costello. Melville has created a complex masterpiece that adopts Hemingway's idea of 7/8 iceberg.
The film, with little dialogue, is a quiet case study on the loner (hence samurai) Costello as he fulfills contracts in the streets and subways of Paris. Many interpretations of the this film have arise, but I see it as a quest to fulfill one's duty even at the cost of loneliness (hence the ending).
Everything about that last scene was both startling and superb. Even without much dialogue, the life of Jef Costello is laid out in front of us to examine and dissect. Melville has truly created an almost perfect masterpiece of a character study and slight revival of the crime drama that seemed to be dormant at the time.
This review of Le Samouraï (1967) was written by James M on 29 May 2007.
Le Samouraï has generally received very positive reviews.
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