Le pacha

The movie is an unanticipated gem! I was expecting something of a hybrid between A. Delon's "Un Flic" and "Le Samouraï", but this one is fast paced and stylish. I enjoyed the inserts with "hippies" dancing and The Serge cameo, both lending some documentary feel to the movie. It is also one for a fan of coolest mid-century period, with characters carved out of the 40ies b&w gangster movies. Gabin's character is funny, policemen are efficient and gangsters dull-n-dumb: feels good. Music is an added bonus, especially if you pay attention to the words of the song that Serge sings: nice refrain to the plot. In short, great contemporary mix, very entertaining and a bit touching.

and the plot may seem familiar from a dozen other crime/thriller movies you have seen, but the character is played by an aging Jean Gabin, who does one of his best performances I can recall. The film depicts well Paris night-life, and the dangerous links between clubs, girls, racketeers, and the Police, in a realistic approach to mid-1960's life.

This was another Jean Gabin vehicle which often turned up on Italian TV; having decided to check it out, I'm glad I did because it's a pretty good policier!

Despite his advancing age, the star is wholly believable as the dogged Police Commissioner (the "Pacha" of the title) - out to avenge his childhood, albeit shady, friend - who's also something of an amiable curmudgeon. The film features an elaborate daylight robbery sequence - after which one member of the gang eliminates all his associates in order to keep the loot for himself (one of them is pushed inside his car onto thin ice which naturally breaks and engulfs him)! - and is fast-paced, and short, enough to never overstay its welcome. Besides, it's given a tremendous boost by a modern percussion-heavy score by celebrated performer/songwriter Serge Gainsbourg (who even appears as himself during a recording session of the tune heard over the opening credits!).

There's also a hilarious scene in which the old-fashioned Gabin visits a hippie club - in search of a girl (Dany Carrel of MILL OF THE STONE WOMEN [1960]) who, apart from being a fling of Gabin's deceased colleague, is a link to the robbery mentioned above since she's the sister of one of the culprits (now also dead). Therefore, she and Gabin conspire to trap the man responsible for both deeds and the film ends with an indiscriminate shoot-out - punctuated by an ominous organ drone - in an abandoned warehouse (which curiously anticipates the climax of THE FRENCH CONNECTION [1971]!).

First, it is not the policier who you expect. against the same lines, Jean Gabin in a well known role and the last scenes. it is different for a simple reason - because the sentimental side is well developed, because the presence ( and music) of Serge Gainsbourg and for Dany Carrel performance. and for the flavor of a story political incorrect but solide and coherent and seductive. a film about the justice, friendship and choices. useful for old memories. and for the trip in the frame of a period, with its sensitivities, taste and options. a world. like an refuge.

Jean Gabin certainly one the most expressive French actor mostly as Chief of Police whom he embodies perfectly by his coldness and customary sarcasm, he plays the Commissioner Joss Le Pacha about to retirement, but when one of his closest childhood friend now an old Inspector Gouvion (Robert Dalban) was an easy prey on a Robbery, he has been blamed to have facilitate the whole thing, afterwards he is found dead, at first glance he'd allegedly committed suicide, Joss otherwise disagreed of such mindset, thus Joss is willing to prove despite Gouvion was slow and selfish he wasn't engaged in the robbery.

Soon the cunning Commissioner Joss already gathered many clues that seem suggesting straightway into the rough felonious self-called Quinquin (André Pousse), meanwhile he digs all around he meets a Gouvion's lover, the young and beauty Nathalie Villar (Dany Carrel) which to afford Nathalie's life style Gouvion was making blind eye here and there for small offences, a bit bruised about the unforeseen Joss draw up a bold plan to get arrest Quinquin.

The highlight of the movie quite sure are the phasing-out period on late sixties between the new wave of sexual liberalism attached into hippie phenomenon that grabbed the young generation, it's displeased deeply the old fashionable Commissioner that reproves such obnoxious odd behavior, moreover it was put on the screenplay trying display the conflict of two opposite ages, the colorful psychedelic ongoing at Europe against the old customs, so violent and exotic polar picture, directed by Georges Lautner, scored by a fine soundtrack for this period of time only.

Thanks for reading.

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First watch: 2021 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.