La bonne année

Claude Lelouch takes the ideas of present and past and turns them ingeniously on their heads. We see the history of the three main characters' involvement with each other in a humorous account involving the past and present. Some of this time-switching reminds me of the film to come, Tarrantino's Pulp Fiction, in its clever time-narrative.

The film works its way around crime, friendship and love in an artistic way, leaving you quite satisfied with the outcome.

Lino Ventura shows here another of his talents, not necessarily the rough, tough virile man. He plays a gangster preparing a major jewellery store heist. A very brilliant and intelligent job. And besides this scheme, he falls in love with a woman who happens to work not far from his "target". Françoise Fabian is also at her best in this sensitive role; both her and Ventura are in a magic symphony, harmony, for the best pleasure of the audience. I have been surprised to get totally swallowed by this poignant crime flick. There was a remake in the eighties, with Peter Falk in Ventura's character, and directed by John Avildsen. Charles Gerard is also wonderful here, as Lino Ventura's sidekick.

Simon, a jewel thief, is released from prison on New Year's Eve. As he returns to freedom, we see (through flashback) the eventful few weeks that led up to his arrest. An entertaining film, with interesting dialogue and brilliant direction throughout.

7/10.

Former boxer Lino Ventura stars in this popular crime piece. But Claude Lelouche, the director of the hugely internationally successful romance Un Homme et Une Femme ensured that this too is a story of a man and a woman in which both Ventura and Francoise Fabian play their parts to perfection. Vive la Difference is the subtext of this film, and one marvels at the raw chemistry generated by the two stars. Lelouche can't help having a dig at smug left-bank intellectuals, but who can blame him for that? Nothing in this film is predictable, right to the very end. Why it seems to be unavailable in video is a mystery to me! See it!

Director Jacques Becker is credited with giving former wrestler Lino Ventura his break in films, for which we owe him a debt of thanks and here Ventura's co-star is Becker's widow Francoise Fabian.

Not only is this an expertly crafted 'heist' movie but also depicts an unlikely romance between polar opposites in the shape of a mucho macho, monogamous, uneducated crook and and an elegant, sexually liberated, cultured antique dealer. They are played to perfection by Ventura and Fabian whose chemistry is palpable. There are also humorous exchanges between Ventura and his loyal but rather dim-witted associate played by Charles Gérard.

Despite the customary pot pourri of styles employed by Claude Lelouch this is certainly one of his most accessible and entertaining films. It spans a period of seven years during most of which Ventura's character spends behind bars. There are flashbacks within flashbacks during one of which we are treated to scenes from this director's most popular film from the previous decade which could be seen as a comment on the changing social climate.

Pierre Uytterhoven has again collaborated on the script, Francis Lai once more provides the score whilst Lelouch himself operates the camera.

Lelouch has been unfairly labelled by many as a one-hit wonder which does him a great disservice and undervalues his creativity, imagination, technical skill and the freedom he gives his actors.

An homogenised Hollywood makeover with its obligatory 'feel good' factor came and went.