Un linceul n'a pas de poches

Adapted from a Horace McCoy's novel in a topic that would have been made by Yves Boisset; a daring story where the lead character, as in Horace McCoy's novel, is an idealistic man who wants to denounce corruption, rotten politicians, conventions and all kinds of injustice. It is a rather weird film, as usual with Jean-Pierre Mocky, where gloomy, desperate, hopeless spirit is shown besides light hearted scenes; from time to time, you wonder what you watch, especially if you are not used to Mocky's atmosphere. It is a satyre of the modern world, in a slightly different way of Claude Chabrol, but more or less in the same mood. One more thing, in a Jean-Pierre Mocky's film, don't bother the lousy acting, it belongs to Mocky's movies charm.

Enjoyable enough romp based on the hard boiled Horace McCoy novel but not very hard boiled. Basically the uncorruptable journalist takee on the corrupt town bigwigs and won't back down. Along the way various sexy dames throw themselves at him. Sylvia Krystal is one and looks great especially in a skinny dipping scene early on. Michael Lonsdale puts in a good turn as her jealous husband. The real star is the very catchy jazzy Paul de Senneville main theme which is a major earthworm.

Jean -Pierre Mocky has made a lot of movies ;few gained critical acclaim and few (if any) were commercial successes.

Although an adaptation of an American novel,the movie is Frenchie to the core.It has ,mainly in its first part a crude dialog ,using the word "baiser" (=f...)in almost every line.

This film does nothing but state the obvious:a newspaper which wants to tell the truth all the truth and nothing but the truth is a hackneyed subject;and Mocky treats his subject like a bull in a china shop.Besides ,he cannot even enhance the all-star male cast (Londsdale,Serrault,Constantin...) the production generously bestowed on him;one should add that the female cast is rather poor (Sylvia "Emmanuelle" Krystel is very bad but one can see her swim in the nude in her pool).

From time to time Mocky makes a good work ("l'albatros" is probably the most interesting) but they are oases in the desert of a burned out career.

Having seen "Kill the Ref" years ago, I was interested to see more of Mocky's work, and bought subtitled DVDs of this, "Solo" and "L'Albatros." . I should have heeded the review by dbdumonteil, who knows more about French cinema than I ever will. He called "No Pockets" a botched job, and he's right.

Starting in 1959, Mocky has directed well over 60 features, plus shorts, documentaries and TV work. On this evidence he's put quantity above quality. It's hard to see how he got the budget to assemble such an excellent cast of actors (the women are relatively weak) but no surprise that his recent films feature largely-unknown "stars."

The actresses, particularly the excessively made-up Myriam Mezieres, are made to look rather unattractive, perhaps to emphasise the good looks of Mocky as our heroic reporter. Needless to say they're all crazy about him. Mocky's narcissism, the excessive length and some lousy dialogue (Alaim Mory is no Michel Audiard) make the whole thing an endurance test.

It made me happy to see this Mocky 70s film adapted from an American short story with its plethora of actors and its subject dealing with corruption. A good irreverent film like its director.