Le cave se rebiffe

Yet another vision of these counterfeiters of Paris. But the film does have its moments.

The dialogue is one thing, penned here by Michel Audiard, but with Jean Gabin doing his late-career thing: his performance is so predictable it's almost embarrassing. If we strip away Jean Gabin's tics and schematisms, the rest of the cast is superb and more subtle, and well served by Gilles Grangier's dialogue and direction.

One of the pleasures of the film is to see each of the parties make the other believe in an ensemble that is a festival of liars. Jean Gabin, the cellar-dweller, Bernard Blier and his clan, the operating principle of the plot is the lies they all practice.

What's disturbing here is the misogyny and phallocracy, which seems anachronistic today, but which dates the film furiously, very ridiculous in view of the society of the 2020s, to which we can add alcohol and cigarettes, present at all times, as well as racism (Jean Gabin's reaction to savage music). Women are tools, at the stove or sex objects.

The movie in itself is nothing special : a gangster movie, directed in a classic and worn-out way, with no specific directing whatsoever. And with a slow pace - in French, we will say a movie "à la papa", meaning a cinema made with too much comfort. But we have some of the best Audiard's dialog and one-liners and that changes everything! Gabin, Blier, and the rest of the cast, pretty decent, helps as well, but without the chiseled lines from Audiard, it would have just been average.

Le Cave se rebiffe is one of my favorite movies of all times. With an impeccable cast (Jean Gabin, Bernard Blier and Maurice Biraud among others)and an excellent story to go along things can't go anything but right. Add to that the dialogs from Michel Audiard and voilà! a masterpiece.

This movie contains two of my favorite Audiard one liners, I'll try and translate for non French-speaking members: - About Eric, Jean Gabin says: "If stupidity could be measured, he'd serve as a yardstick for it" - Talking with Maurice Biraud: "To deny your own talents makes it easier for mediocre people to succeed".

Real funny stuff, but also things to think about.

It has been many years since I saw this film, and I keep hoping I will run into it again somewhere. I was struck by two unusual aspects.

First, the film appears to show considerable detail about the actual production of counterfeit Dutch currency, almost as if it were a step by step introduction for aspiring forgers of the 1960s.

Second, Jean Gabin as the master forger does not simply outwit the local police and leave his would-be accomplices empty-handed, but then calmly makes for the airport with a suitcase full of real currency. Like a businessman who has had a satisfying overseas trip, he settles back without a care in the world while his plane wafts him to some tropical paradise where there will be no pesky European police to ask questions.

All in a good week's work, the film seems to conclude.

Interesting piece of French cinema, with "monstre sacré" Jean Gabin and famously acid dialogues by Michel Audiart.

The story is actually quite interesting and the era so foreign so this reviewer was actually metaphorically glued to their seat.

The White male characters are unfortunately first class condescendant towards minorities and women but this only sadly reflects the time and history of Western privilege.

In a nutshell: excellent and enjoyable stand alone part II in a trilogy with Master Liar Max the Trickster (personal free translation of Max le Menteur).

A review in 600 characters.