Review of The Big Risk (1960) by Art S — 17 Jan 2017

It's like the long drawn-out moody denouement from another film in which Lino Ventura has lived a successful life of crime but which culminated in his escaping from France to live in exile. However, there was no other film! Classe Tous Risques begins abruptly with Ventura seeking to return to Paris after a long exile with his wife and two young kids and a partner.

After stealing money for the road and nearly getting caught, they run into tragedy when they are confronted at the border by customs officials and a shoot-out leaves only Ventura and his two boys (7 and 5) alive.

So, he calls up his old friends in Paris to come get him out of Nice and back home - but they don't want to know him anymore, now that they are all set up in new profitable lives. They send a hired hand instead, who turns out to be Belmondo, who turns out to be a good egg.

He helps Ventura to get the kids taken care of and then they turn their minds to revenge. But Ventura is running out of steam, feeling low, more empty than stoic; Belmondo is full of vigor, falling in love with Sandra Milo, as a counterpoint.

The film follows the usual course of French noir, carefully observing the mechanics of each moment, whether it be a heist or a conference amongst gangsters. There's action enough but the mood is sombre.

Melville owned this genre but his great films (except Bob le Flambeur, 1956) all came later. Perhaps Touchez Pas Au Grisbi (1954) and Rififi (1955) are the best earlier examples. Still, this hit the spot.