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It's not easy to figure out what Claude Lelouch had in mind when he wrote and directed this film, but if it was meant to be the French answer to "Bonnie and Clyde", he fell way short of the mark. The two central characters and their relationship are not believable; the only thing that compels a viewer's attention is the snowy Quebec scenery near the end. ** out of 4.

Well lets face it, with LeLouch at the helm and Deneuve on screen the stage is set for something highly watchable, more likely than not.

Dutronc plays suave and ultra cool Simon Lacassaine, a thief with cultural attachments who as it happens, has just broken out of jail. Through circumstance, he falls in with upmarket hooker Deneuve, also on the constabulary's wanted list, and between them they spend the better part of the movie evading both the Gendarmes and US Authorities.

The performances of the leads lifts this taut little thriller higher than the level to which it might be seen to aspire. The audience cannot be sure quite what is around the corner.

The fickle workings of Fate throw together the fortunes of Catherine Deneuve's Françoise, an icy, misanthropic upper-class whore, and dashing, resourceful crook Simon Lacassaigne (played by Jaques Dutronc). They are obliged to go on the run together. Simon's ingenuity in thwarting and evading capture by the French, Canadian, and US authorities is greatly aided by the unbelievable stupidity of the officials involved. Deneuve gives her trademark icily hypnotic performance. The director is forced to use dream sequences to reveal her inner mind - a useful technique which her subsequent directors might have done well to consider. All in all: watchable, downbeat, nihilistic, atmospheric, creakily plotted chase movie just about held together by charismatic stars.

6/10.