L'héritier

Philippe Labro 's sophomore effort "Sans Mobile Apparent" based on an Ed McBain novel,was an unpretentious but effective little thriller.

"L'Heritier " is another thriller ,but this time blown up out of proportions ;it seems that Labro had "citizen Kane " in mind ;he lived and studied in America and his infatuation with this country had kept growing.The style is jerky ,with flashbacks (two of them's purpose (algeria war and a rugby game)is to make us believe -which is,after Jean Dessailly's depiction ,redundant- that Bart Cordell is a tough guy .

It's a sprawling work ;overblown, full of implausibilities (do you really believe that Cordell spent ten years in the USA?),the story drags on ;Labro does not possess Henri Verneuil's know-how ("Le Clan Des Siciliens" almost sounds American,and that director does not go out of his way to,as Labro desperately does ) .The screenplay is a hodgepodge which involves the media power,the industry,social concerns,an unpleasant macho side ,WW2 concentration camps,the Vatican, the fascists ,a dangerous call girl,a terrible family secret ,sabotage and a roses greenhouse.

The movie features generally unsympathetic characters and it takes all the talent of seasoned actors to liven things up a little.Belmondo seems bigger than the screen:the sheer glorious immodesty of his character is a bit off-putting (the scene on the train with Carla Gravina ,and the slaps between her and her boss are downright embarrassing).

NB:the subject was reprized by writers Francq and Van Hamme in their absorbing comic strip "L'Heritier";Largo Winch has nothing to do with Cordell ,but his story is extremely well constructed ,masterfully blending present and past .

Canal D has been showing some Belmondo films from the Seventies lately; this one is typical of his middle period, before Depardieu took over his mantle. Here we have a businessman who is battling rivals for control of a media empire created by his father. Into the mix is thrown Jewish deportations during World War II, contemporary Italian right-wing politics, muckraking journalists... It's really too much for the frail structure of a commercial thriller. The talented cast isn't given much to do, and suspension of disbelief goes too far (how could Cordell and the writer have survived that attack by two hitmen with rifles shooting directly down on them?).

I'm normally a big fan both of Belmondo and of Labro. Belmondo was without doubt the finest actor of his generation in France ecxcelling in the theatre and in any genre in the cinema. And he did not shy away from doing all genres. However, in this film I find his acting too mannered up to a point that it appeared almost artificial. I never really got what the relationship between him and his best friend is about. Labro's La Crime is one of my favourite films in the world. Love how he directs Brasseur play the Frenchman almost up to a parody. He does love his conspiration theories and at the time had a fascination with the USA. But he was just trying too hard, putting way too much into the story creating a very confused film that was trying very hard to be arthouse. All in all, not bad but not a film I would rewatch.

I have always been convinced that only Jean-Paul Belmondo could perform in such a way for such a role, such a character. Many folks said that it was freely inspired by Howard Hawk's real life. Maybe, maybe not, anyway, Philippe Labro gives here his best film, before L'ALPAGUEUR made three years later? With the same Belmondo for another story. The American cinema, style, inspired this story, except maybe the ending, typical of the early seventies. This is not a crime film, but a drama thriller, which remains under the radars, concerning Jean-Paul Belmondo. Most audiences prefer focusing on his comedy period from the late seventies and early eighties. Such a shame.