The ‘noir’ films made by Jean-Pierre Melville before ‘Un flic‘ have some visual elements that make them easily recognizable in the landscape of French cinema and many of them share a common theme – friendship. Many of his characters are criminals or violent and corrupt policemen, but almost all of them follow a moral code that involves solidarity and friendship. ‘Un flic‘, made in 1972, breaks this rule. Almost all of his characters, on both sides of the law, betray their friends and even their lovers. That is until the final scene, the interpretation of which is left up to the viewers. A change of direction in the career of the director who also authored or co-authored the scripts of his films? Unfortunately, we will never know what was to come, because ‘Un flic‘ was also Melville‘s last film. But no one knew this, and most likely not even him, because his death the following year would be sudden, while he was working on the script for the film that was supposed to follow. His filmography stopped with this film, the 13th.
In the opening scene of the film, a gang of four gangsters robs a bank located on the ocean shore. It is a stormy winter day. The hold-up goes well until the end, when one of the clerks decides to be a hero and tries to shoot the thieves. He is killed, but manages to injure one of them, triggering the events that will form the plot of the entire film. The scene, filmed as Melville knew how to do it, in a style that makes the audience feel the wind and the freezing rain, alternates with short sequences in which we see police commissioner Edouard Coleman, played by Alain Delon, in action. We don’t have to guess too much to understand that the paths of gangsters and cops will cross. The heist had only been a preparation for a much bigger coup, for which funds were needed. Not only is Coleman tasked with the investigation, but he also entertains a relationship with Cathy, the gang boss’s mistress. A coincidence too much perhaps, but we forgive it as it brings togetherAlain Delon and Catherine Deneuve, the ultimate couple of French cinema 50 years ago and perhaps until today, allowing Melville to gloss over his favorite themes – love, friendship, fidelity, betrayal.
This film does not lack scenes in bars, with jazz music and scantily clad dancers, and another robbery scene, even more detailed than the first. The technical means here are somewhat rudimentary (like in the 1930s), but in exchange we are dealing with a detailed, step-by-step description of what is happening, which gives us the feeling of being witnesses in real time. In fact Melville seems to be playing with time throughout this film, slowing it down to emphasize a few key scenes and speeding it up in the connecting scenes. The Delon–Deneuve couple spend less screen time together than we would like, but instead we have an excellent cast in the gangster roles. A great lover of American films, Melville brought two very good American actors (Richard Crenna and Michael Conrad) and an excellent Italian one (Riccardo Cucciolla) to play in this film. The cinematography of Walter Wottiz is perfect for a Melville film. The empty streets of Paris, deserted at an early morning hour, are a perfect setting for a final scene that represents a splendid (albeit unintentional) farewell. Adieu, Jean-Pierre Melville!