L'homme de la Jamaïque

I discovered that French film noir in a huge shelf devoted to famous DVD editor mainly in French classic movies, with lot of rarities, in a big culture shop in center of Paris. Nice surprise for French noir fans, I think it begins too slowly in gangster comedy, but as soon as we meet the great Caussimon in a short but sinister scene, it becomes more and more noir. Pierre Brasseur plays quiet tough as his character requests, some scenes having never been seen in any French film noir, please no spoiler. Absent in recent French police film encyclopedia (with many other titles).

"L'Homme De La Jamaïque "hits me at first as a routine adventures movie ,but the further acquaintance says this: although very uneven,mainly in the first third which drags on, actually a film noir ,with impressive sequences :what could be a trite arms dealing becomes,in its own special way,a redemption tale.Distinguished moments:

• the arrival in Dr Van Boeken's small gloomy hospital :we never see his patients "who do no want to be seen though they have cooked the meal " ;the doctor's glasses shine in the dark as he told his guests about the lack of money and the plight of the place ;an almost spooky scene.

-After an informer turns them in, the night on the ship where one of Mervel's pals dies and another one realizes he won't be able to play the guitar anymore ;but another threat is in the air .

-there's a smell of burning in Dr Eckart's office , a cigarette burns Mervel's arm,but "I do not feel anything"

-"I've got an enchanted hand" says Mervel to the captain who did not tell them his passengers were........

-Vicky on the road ,in search of her love whose pain she wants to relieve .

Pierre Brasseur hams it up in the beginning ,but ,little by little,he makes us feel for his pitiful character.Good cast including Louis Seignier as the hateful captain Hoggan ,Jean-René Caussimon as the devoted thespian (only one scene ,but he made it the strongest in the whole movie),Marcelle Géniat , as an old lady in a wheelchair interested in gunrunning too...and Vera Norman as an idealistic naive nurse ('your antiques are weapons " says the captain)but who has a talent for observation (the initials on the shirt)

There's a even touches of humor:"you know,antiques can wait one more day:they will go up in value!"

Filmed on location in Morocco ;the director takes advantage of the scenery.