Police Python 357

Like his elder brothers, Claude Sautet and Jean-Pierre Melville, Alain Corneau began to cut his teeth in French cinema with a series of fine thrillers: "la Menace" (1977) and "Série Noire" (1979) among others. "Police Python 357" is a good example of how Corneau conceived and shot his works at this time of his career. They had a splendid cinematography, painstaking screenplays and a sophisticated directing elaborated for efficiency's sake.

The police superintendent Ferrot (Yves Montand) is a cop with unconventional methods who usually works all alone. He makes the acquaintance of a young woman Sylvia Léopardi (Stefania Sandrelli) and becomes her lover while ignoring that she has another lover: his superior Ganay (François Périer). When the latter learns it, he kills her in a fit of anger. Ferrot has to investigate the murder and all the clues are inexorably against him...

One could deem that this kind of far-fetched story isn't exempt from glitches and sometimes, one can see right through it but Corneau's pedantic directorial style helps to conjure up a stifling, dusky atmosphere. The first part of the film before the night of the murder might seem uninteresting and however, it is crucial for what will follow this key-moment. Corneau falls back on a sober treatment with rather sparse moments and short appearances by secondary, minor characters whom the viewer will see again during the investigation. In spite of drawbacks, Corneau and his scenarist Daniel Boulanger penned a deft story. Ménard (Mathieu Carrière) who sometimes expresses his surprise because Ferrot keeps a relatively low profile during the investigation. But his superior knows that he usually works alone. Actually, Ferrot has to find solid tricks to muddy the waters and so to exonerate himself. Eventually, the chief idea of the film concerns Ferrot himself. He's a cop who bit by bit loses his identity and finds himself in the heart of a terrible depersonalization. It is epitomized by the moment when he throws himself acid on his face so that witnesses won't recognize him when he is brought face to face with them.

The backdrop of this thriller, Orléans is efficiently enhanced by Corneau's camera and helps to inspire this eerie thriller its pernicious charm.

Great screenplay and some of the best actors the world has ever produced. Montand gives the concept of the 'lone wolf' police detective a whole new dimension of intensity and, most importantly, credibility.

When a typical Hollywood cop-heroe loses family, friends and pets to murder he is usually given his minute of grief. But when the sixty seconds are over, he pulls himself together, packs his gun and goes gleefully shooting up his enemies one by one.

Montand's Marc Ferrot, however, is really devastated - by his girlfriends murder, of course, but also by finding out that she had another lover.In his confusion and wrath he does not seek revenge but needs to keep going to find the real perpetrator of a crime where his fingerprints are all over the scene. Thus all his actions become unescapably logical. This is the main reason why this movie glues us to our seats but definetely not the only one.

Finally a film that will have you gripped to your seat till the end, and yet which is neither melodramatic nor manipulative. Great cinematography and music and of course, the cast, let alone a tight plot make this film a must-see. From the always reborn love triangle, the story develops with the right timing, faster than your average French film, and yet without anything of the Hollywood clichés that usually ruin everything. Signoret is lovable as the handicapped wife who nevertheless seems to always know everything. "dbdumonteil" on IMDb is right on track about the depersonalisation, thus adding another layer of interpretation to an already engrossing flick. I agree with "Olof" reviewer on Amazon that "Alain Corneau didn't exploit Stefania Sandrelli's scene stealing abilities", thou.

I am still wondering why Inspector Ménard does... what he does (can't say more), but my only hunch is that "violence redeems sins". I am open to hearing from other reviewers, as I can't make up my mind about his change of attitude. Of course, the fact that a film 25 years old can leave you thinking after it's over is yet another reason why you might enjoy this movie.

first was Alain Corneau a fan of J P Meville?? in the film there is a scene where François Périer(the bad guy) looking at his shaving mirror, and adjusting his hat. and it reminds me of Melville's film "the samouri"

well the film is almost Yves Montand's monodrama, he walks as he walked in "the red circle",he shoots like he shot in"Z" only his old face has become older since then.. I admit he is not that type of hero----he is not looking very tough, he is no Belmondo or Ventura when he knocks down some guys in film , it's just ridiculous and unbelievable for me , oh , I shake my head and say that's not his job at all.. after all, do you believe the old ,senescent,grandpa could easily beat up a young lad who is apparently stronger and swifter than him?

Montand could have done more political thrillers , not action thriller which I think is his weakest strength

so the film fails

After the death of Jean-Pierre Melville the French cinema lost his first exponent who dares mixing two avant-garde and opposing visions on movie industry as Hollywood and the groundbreaking French cinema, soon the cunning Alain Corneau filled out this empty space holding this niche with same premise, blending these academies in this polar.

Blatantly inspired in The Big Clock he hadn't the copyright this novel, so Corneau had implied a meandering screenplay to get his target, also mimicking Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry series, Yves Montand playing the already dead within character made a stunning performance side by side with his real wife Signoret and the bleak chief played by the outstanding François Périer, the eye-candy Stefania Sandrelli enlightens the movie to high level due her undeniable and unique beauty, the picture holds the audience in the chair since the early scenes until the ending, further totally restored in widescreen colorful format is priceless.

Thanks for reading

Resume:

First watch: 1996 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 8.