Garde à vue

Those who watch French films either to improve their knowledge of French cinema or to learn subtle nuances of French language cannot remain indifferent to the charms of the great French actor Lino Ventura. There is some kind of "JE NE SAIS QUOI" type of quality in him which makes him stand apart from the usual group of French actors. Garde à Vue sees him paired against Michel Serrault who is also considered as one of France's important actors.This entire film is their indispensable vehicle to deliberate about justice,law and unusual methods of police procedures.A deft cat and mouse game with limited movement could be considered as this film's apt description.In the midst of these two towering figures,there are also some minor figures who steal the show on their own.Director Claude Miller achieves this effect by casting Guy Marchand as a police inspector and Romy Schneider as the main suspect's wife.The dialogs penned by Michel Audiard have a certain kind of literary aura to them.This is one reason why viewers would be more interested in pricking up their ears in order not to miss any line.Film critic Lalit Rao saw this film during Franco-German mystery and thriller film festival organized by Alliance Française de Bangalore and Goethe Institut in 1992.

At the beginning of this movie, while credit titles are still running, you are immersed in an atmosphere that mix your feelings, with dark winter night, clapping rain on windows and a marvelous music (composed by Georges Delerue) which evoke merry-go-round, barrel organ and festive childhood.

And then the music stops and you enter in an austere police office for a questioning on the murder of two children.

No show off. No special effects. Dialogue.

And you discover how sad and lonesome adults can be sometimes in their games or duties.

Excellent movie.

A masterpiece. Every line and every scene. The opposite of Hollywood, a lifelike movie. Simple, complex and authentic. All actors are legends of cinema. Well, those movies are things of the past. A true gem that most will not understand anymore.

Lino Ventura, M. Serrault and Romy Schneider. What else can you say? And Guy Marchand (from the seedy detective series "Nestor Burma"). The script flows like a clockwork orange, of course aided by Serrault, who could make rocks weep, laugh and commit suicide. Lino Ventura is believable, almost likable, as a tough cop who "doesn't really care who gets nailed" but can't forget the young victims, and won't be distracted from a suspect even if he's got style and wit.

Why does the ending disappoint? Probably a tad melodramatic and manipulative, it doesn't harm an already superb film. It only makes it far from perfect. I agree with IMDb's reviewer "Taylor, from Ottawa" that "night scenes in a steady rain" by Bruno Nuytten create the perfect oppressive if somewhat awkward climate, necessary for this theatrical plot to unfold. Enjoy, if possible on a damp night :)!

PS: The remake "Under suspicion"... Hackman is fine, but can't reach Michel's subtlety and yet how disagreeable he can be; he seems born for this "gifted neurotics" roles. Monica Bellucci is nice, but cannot carry the nostalgia Schneider exudes. W. Chisholm's review on Amazon is right she shows Visconti's training. Adaptations should only be made when improving on the original, don't you think :)?

Fine piece of a psychological approaching over the veteran police Inspector Gallien (Lino Ventura) and the suspect Jerome Martinaud (Michael Serrault) of two murders and rapes of two young girls, under pleasure by the skilled Gallien who impose an strategic guideline to extract a confession, in other hand the smart Jerome an old man with a failed marriage has to answer the several double meaning questions, the cold and stiffing atmosphere on the room at the police precinct is extremely grueling for both and more to the viewers neither, even having break a couple times in between when it's back starts all over again, until a key witness appears, Jerome's wife, Chantal Martinaud (Romy Schneider, how was beauty yet) the accused refuses meeting her, then Gallien has a private conversation on a separate room, after a long talk at last the convinced Inspector has a card hidden on his sleeve, even never hearing nothing over the Director Claude Miller, he made a fabulous and complex picture, when you suppose that all are settled, then goes a crowning surprise, according my feelings both Lino Ventura and Jean Gabin were the greatest French actors of all times and this picture states that, also Serrault deserves my greetings for such performance!!!!

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First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD/ Rating: 8.75