Cartouche

One of those movies I remember fondly watching in my youth. Cartouche is a fine swashbuckling costume drama set in the 18th century in France, a fine mix that gives us some Musketeers, some Robin Hood, some Cyrano de Bergerac. If you are interested in historical adventure movies, this one waits for you - and watching Belmondo and Claudia Cardinale is for sure not the worst way to waste some spare time.

While this certainly isn't one of the deeper or meaningful costume dramas I have seen, I must admit it's a lot of fun--even though the character played by Jean-Paul Belmondo is crazy when it comes to his relationship with the lady played by Claudia Cardinale. It's in many ways a re-telling of the Robin Hood story in 18th century France--with a much more flawed main character. Like Mr. Hood, Cartouche steals from the rich and gives to the poor, but unlike Robin (who was quite happy with Maid Marion, thank you very much), once Cartouche got the girl of any man's dreams, it just wasn't good enough. Claudia Cardinale played a ravishing young thief who was desperately in love with him and ultimately would do anything for Cartouche--and the idiot keeps looking at other women! Ultimately he understands the stupidity of this, but by then it's just too late.

The story excels when it comes to exciting fights and costumes. However, at times, it lets the viewer down because the mood of the film seems to shift too much--almost like there were several versions of the film and they morphed them together. On one hand, it's a romance and in that department it does an excellent job. On the other, it's an exciting adventure yarn and once again it succeeds in this department. But, at some points in the movie (particularly when Cartouche is in the army), it also tries to be a pretty broad comedy. I actually think the film might have been better if the entire thing had been comedy or they removed the comedy altogether. It just seemed disjoint and odd the way it changed styles. However, regardless of this, the film is still worth seeing and is a lot of fun.

There were some fun scenes to be found in Cartouche, but I found the way it was all put together pretty awkward. Even if there's always something happening in each individual scene of the film, those scenes just don't flow together very well. It's not as breezy as the ideal kind of swashbuckling movie should be, but I can't deny it comes alive at certain points.

I also think it manages to be watchable because of the star power, and yeah, seeing Jean-Paul Belmondo and Claudia Cardinale in the same film is reason enough to check out Cartouche I guess. Hot take, though: I think Alain Delon was better in these sorts of roles than Belmondo. The latter is somewhat charming here, but I don't know; there's just something about his style and charisma that makes him so much better suited to 20th-century crime movies. He doesn't have iPhone face, but I guess he has the 1960s equivalent. I can't entirely buy him in this role, but I think that's more on the casting than him specifically. He does what he can.

Cardinale is as good as always, but as is often the case, she's a bit underused... so maybe the star power isn't all that? Eh, it's still something.

This movie is fine, is I think what I was trying to eventually get at.

one of many adventure French films, exploitation of a literary genre and few actors who gives force and charm to a sort of characters. but it is only a first sigh verdict.the story, the fight scenes, Belmondo, Cardinale, Jean Rochefort makes a fine difference in this case. and basic virtue is the vision of director who know transform the plot in axis of seductive show. best part - the end. and science to not present only silhouettes of heroes but realistic figures, mixture of revolt, innocence and humor. a memorable film for old generations but , in same measure, a challenge for present. romance and adventure. and the lights of a splendid French art period.

Those who like the genre should not miss the (rare) occasion to see this movie. It is a splendid cloak and dagger story, full of adventures, fights and love. Of course, somewhat incredible at times. Unforgettable is the scene in which the bandit Cartouche (Jean-Paul Belmondo) with the corpse of Venus (Claudia Cardinale) in his arms demands jewels in ransom from French nobles, in order to have a treasure to be buried with his beloved Venus, who has been killed in a fight.