Paul Meurisse - Blot
Jean Pierre Melville (Director)
I have stated a few times on here that Melville is my favorite French film maker. This film only cements that view for me. Souffle is about a escaped prisoner (Gu) who meets up with a gang of criminal for a major heist. There plans are augmented by Commissioner Blot. A wiley and wildly respected detective. Ventura and Meurisse were both in the Melville films Army of Shadows (Movie #164). The two of them kind of made this the French version of Heat for me. With both a creditable protagonist and antagonist matching wits and wills against one another.
The film opens with a expressionistic prison break that looked like it was stolen from the German films of the 20's. It then moves to a dolly shot of Gu running through the woods that was very remincient of another Melville films Le Cercle Rouge. After that it almost abandons its fancy camera work and focus's it's attention on the characters.
I have to be honest and say that this is my least favorite of Melville's works so far. But to me that is like picking your least favorite Picasso or your least favorite Mozart piece.
I would probably benefit from another viewing of this film. I watched it over 3 showings and never got as interested as I could have been. For the time being I will give Le Deuxieme Souffle ★★★.
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