Jean-Pierre Melville is a master of tension, and Le Doulos (The Finger Man) is a strong example of this statement. The film opens with a shadowy figure decked out in classic Melville attire; a long trench coat hiding a tailored suit and tie, a fedora angled downward to shadow the face, and a cigarette burning between lips. We don't know who this man is, where he is going, or where he is coming from. Melville spoon feeds us this information as he sees fit. We find out that this man is aging crook Maurice Faugel, (played with quiet intensity by Serge Reggiani) who is on his way to kill a friend who double crossed him years earlier, and steal the jewels recently stolen from a heist. Afterwards, he plans a heist and tells fellow crook Silien (played by Jean-Paul Belmondo) of his plan, who may or may not be a police informant that tips the police to Maurice's scheme.
The film unfolds with a series of twists and turns that lead right to the final tragic moments of Le Doulos. Much like Melville's later masterpieces Le Samurai and Le Cercle Rouge, the film is ice-cold noir in the truest sense. His sharp dialogue really shines here, along with the unapologetic brutality that permeates off the screen. While Le Doulos may not be his best film, it's probably his most fun. This showcases a playful Melville, who was obviously a huge fan of American hard boiled detective films from the 30s and 40s.
I was a huge fan of the performance by Serge Reggiani as the fingered crook Maurice. He brought a steely eyes coolness to the film that offset Belmondo's cocky volatile brashness. Even when committing crimes in cold blood, the audience is never unclear on who to side with, especially when the film reaches its bold climax.
For any fan of French cinema or noir, Le Doulos is a film that really stuck with me in such a way that I felt it was an appropriate film to start off this blog. It's so incredibly entertaining with the roller coaster effect of the narrative, and how you never really know who to trust or what to expect. The camera gives you just enough facts to guide you, but leaves enough out to keep you interested. And believe me, it was a fun ride.
