Le professionnel

Jean-Paul Belmondo is on trial for trying to kill Pierre Saintons, the military dictator of an African country. He won't say who hired him, he's heavily drugged, and eventually he is sent to prison. Two years later, he escapes and returns to Paris to take another crack at the job; his former colleagues in the French Secret Service, who sold him out when the political winds changed, try to stop him.

It's one of those roles in which Belmondo does things, which is what made him so attractive as a New Wave anti-hero. He's still playing the anti-hero, of course, but there are no heroes, just middle-aged bureaucrats, thugs , and beautiful women. He lets you see the years and weariness creep up on him, particularly in the scenes with Michel Beaune. Mostly, though, he is what the title of the movie suggests, a thorough professional, who takes well-calculated risks that confound the people who try to stop him; they are worried about their jobs, their futures, their remaining ideals of right and wrong, and utility. He's just doing a job, and if he survives, well and good, and if not..... well, that was a possibility all along.

A tailor-made vehicle for Belmondo, out-Burting Burt Reynolds in this action flick with non-stop action. The whole thing is laughable thirty years later because we are used to Bourne Identities coming out of our fannies, but this is how they made films before CGI and mega budgets: a charming star, an excellent ensemble cast, well-motivated action, and a relatively tight script. Okay, it's cheesy by modern standards, but one must remember French politics re. Africa (remember Bokassa? The French do) and mercenaries. It makes more sense to the French, and certainly didn't export well. But you can nonetheless see why Belmondo could get away with a certain wink at the camera Burt smarminess, because he always played it with a touch of comedy, and he was way more charming than Burt ever was. ALthough you can read this film as played for laughs, at the time it's plot was believable, and the cold-hearted treatment of citizens by government forces is certainly more than believable to Europeans. Watch it and enjoy. How many low budget action films stand up 30 years later? This one does, and the subtitling is pretty good.

You can certainly watch this film for the music of Ennio Morricone and be thoroughly entertained.

You can also enjoy the acting of Jean-Paul Belmondo (Pierrot le fou, The Forgiven Sinner) and you will not be disappointed.

The direction of Georges Lautner was superb.

There is enough action in this film to satisfy anyone: fights, car chases, shootouts, and great naturals on display. It combines the original Day of the Jackal, and The Bourne Identity.

Sure, it doesn't have all the special effects of modern spy flicks, and you have to actually pay attention to the dialog to enjoy it, but it is a classic example of great acting.

Look at this movie with young and fresh eyes, and it shouldn't work.

Look at it with older eyes (I'm 42) and it shouldn't work either. I mean, so much has happened in over 25 years! But somehow magic is involved, and the movie works. There is something to be said about french cinema from the 60s/70s/80s. Timeless classics were made.

I might view this with rosy eyes since it's from my youth. But I actually saw it in my youth and didn't think much about it. Having re-viewed it a few times in my older years, I start to notice the details of the story, the beauty of the acting and the actors of the era. But while the story as such is fine, what really ties the movie together is the sound track. Ennio Morricone did something extraordinary here. The notedly beautiful "Chi May" (italian for "whatever") may not be from 1981 (it was done years before), but here it really finds its home. Rarely does music from a sound track of a relatively unknown movie induce such feelings almost 25 years later.

And with that said, I can only say this: If you enjoy real, old school cinema, this should really be on your "movie bucket list".

This has to be, without a doubt, one of Jean-Paul Belmondo's finest hours on screen.

I can only guess that "Le Professionnel" is the kind of movie that helped inspire future action-directors like Luc Besson, the way it mixes raw violence with quirky charm and last but not least: some memorable, often cartoonish characters: Robert Hossein is creepy as hell as police captain Rosen, and Belmondo ignites the screen with charm and charisma, so much that the scene with the helicopter will just tear your heart out.

This French little gem has thrills, action and even a few laughs, it includes such showstoppers as a car-chase in front of the Eiffel Tower (!) and even a wild west style duel in broad daylight on the streets of Paris. To top it all of the soundtrack includes one of Ennio Morricone's most famous movie themes!

In short: highly recommended for fans of European action movies.