La Balance - Der Verrat

A small time ex-con (Phillipe Leotard as Dede) and his prostitute girlfriend Nicole (Nathalie Baye) are relentlessly pressured by an aggressive and at time brutal police squad led by Mathias Palouzi (Richard Berry) to inform on the mob. Using any means necessary, playing one off against the other, humiliation, beatings, or threats, the couple is forced to become informants on underworld leader Roger Massina (Maurice Ronet). The love story is at the heart of the film, while the cops and crooks make up opposite ends, though they often employ similar means. Berry seems to flourish in the middle, beating up on Dede while playing a little softer with his girlfriend Nicole. A fast pace takes us whizzing through some great Paris locations, through a stagey looking though fairly impressive shootout on a crowded street, and several seedy dead end alleyways. Many of the underworld characterizations are terrific, and the classy soundtrack (especially the ending) is perfect for the mood.

Set in the cobbled, mean streets of the Belleville quarter in París , it deals with a Police brigade led by Inspector Mathias : Richard Berry that compels a couple formed by a prostitute named Nicole : Natalie Baye and her pimp called Dede : Philippe Leotard . The latter on the outs with his gangster boss because of a quarrel over Nicole. The cops force to the crook to be an informer - or Balance in French language or Mule - by leaning on the prostitute he very much loves. As the police officers scramble for a substitute deciding on Dede. As he must double-cross a dangerous gangster : Maurice Ronet and henchman : Tcheky Karyo.

A French thriller , nicknamed "Polar" , with all the usual requisites as betrayals , dispute , shootouts , car chases and lowlife infighting are delivered with great verbe , action-packed and well-paced . It results to be a decent thriller , but what really distinguishes this Polar is the enjoyable strength on the emotional front . Detailing equally a strong police corruption with cops scrambling for a replacement using nasty methods, as coercing and violence to put a heinous squeeze on the starring to be an informant. Develoving a complex intrigue in which loyalties become more and more crossed until treason is the only means to salvation . Main and support cast are pretty good . Philippe Leotard at last breaks his traditional acting to give us a superb interpretation as the racketeer pimp with a heart of glass , while Nathalie Baye is also top-notch as the Parisian streetwalker prostitute in distress. They are well accompanied by a fine French cast, such as : Richard Berry as tough police inspector, Maurice Ronet as mob boss , Tcheky Karyo as a ruthless hoodlum , Christopher Malavay, Francois Berleand, among others.

It contains an evocative and realist cinematogrphy of the French slums and police station by Bernard Zitzermann. The motion picture was well directed by a good craftsman called Bob Swain who has made a few agreeable films with nice casting as "Half Moon Street" with Michael Caine, Sigourney Weaver, "Masquerade" with Rob Lowe, Kim Cattrall , Atlantide, and "Climb" with John Hurt, Gregory Smith . Rating 6/10 . Acceptable and passable , it it will appeal to French thrillers aficionados .

What a nifty top of the B-film heap is this gritty Paris film, complete with love stories going bad, habits going strong, and cars going fast. Leotard has one of the great faces in the world and Nathalie Baye (in this outing new to me on release date) is just spectacularly vulnerable and perhaps a bit duplicitous. I would definitely make this part of my French film library. The film's co-director is from Evanston, Illinois! Bob Swaim has written films and directed them, mostly in France, and obviously learned his B-films on Saturdays with the rest of us and his France by living in it for a long time.

The psychological techniques of the Chief Inspector Palouzi(Richard Berry)and his sometimes cruel, but equally compassionate portrayal of a decent human being, "just doing his job" was quite well done--Hat's off to Bob Swain--Chicago's own! Berry-himself of French-Algerian decent, is very smooth; and his mature attitude--not arrogance--is what pulls him though. The Acting by Nathalie Baye and the late Philippe Leotard was also excellent. Some of the chases and Arrests were Hokey-but, the Overwhelming theme here is the true devotion of a Woman(Baye) to her Man(Leotard). We need more stories about devotion to People, rather than Devotion to careers or even countries-- No displaced loyalties here--Baye's acting was superb, and I am married to a very devoted woman, so I identify with her loyalty to "Dede"!

Does anyone Know what Richard Barry(Benguigui) is doing these days? He is a fine actor. Bon Chance to all! Try and see this one, if you haven't already seen it.

I knew I was in for a treat when the crunchy new wave title track for "La balance" started playing, and the next 100 minutes didn't disappoint. I'm accustomed to French crime movies with a bit of an arty or philosophical bent, but this one is all pulp, all action. Proudly wearing its influences on its sleeve with several references to Steve McQueen, this will greatly appeal to fans of movies like "Bullitt" and "The French Connection." It must be said that the cops here are seriously ethically dubious: they're misogynistic, xenophobic and constantly pushing the limits of legality to get their man, but these aspects are presented matter-of-factly rather than in a purely glamorizing light.

Nathalie Baye is superb as always as a kind-hearted but guarded sex worker pushed into an informant role, but her character leans too heavily on cliché. More interesting is the smaller role of Galia Salimo, a trans actress who makes a major impression in her scenes as a local wheeler and dealer trading in stolen goods. This is a punchy, well-constructed crime tale that warrants another look.