Le Bon et les méchants

A lesser-known film of French cinema from the 70s, which is interesting with its sepia color scheme, in that by using shades of brown it tries to imitate black and white films from the 40s and 50s, and create the impression of a retro style. This is also supported by the chosen directorial approach, which does not choose modern film techniques, but rather more conservative storytelling methods typical of the previous decades. The film tells the story of three desperados who embarked on a criminal path in the 30s and their opponent, Inspector Bruno Deschamps, excellently played by Bruno Cremer, joins the side of the collaborating French government in Vichy after the occupation of France. When the main protagonist's lover falls into the hands of the police, she is subjected to torture, which leads the criminal gang to join the ranks of the anti-fascist resistance. Ironically, Inspector Deschamps is subsequently deemed unreliable by the Nazis as well, so after certain twists and turns, the thief Simon and the inspector meet in a German prison and after the war, both are awarded the Medal of Merit. The film maintains a romantic-nostalgic view of this French past and is characterized by several charming scenes and wit. However, the film is too long, which leads to certain plot errors and imbalances. Ironically, the least prominent portrayal is that of the main protagonist and leader of the gang, Simon, because Jacques Dutronc simply lacks charisma. On the other hand, Marlène Jobert and Jacques Villeret are typologically precise and excellent in their acting. Overall impression: 80%. (2008.07.10)