Max is bored with women and nightlife, seeking his pleasures in friendship, a meal of wine and cheese and his dreams of retirement in the style to which he's become accustomed. Instead, he shoots the film in a quietly elegant style that combines the poetic realism of the thirties (exemplified by the great films of Renoir and Gabin) with post-war realism. The defining heist is over before Touchez pas au grisbi even begins and Becker uses violence sparingly, saving the fireworks for the dynamic climax. Together they defied the familiar conventions of the gangster drama. He made comedies, thrillers, romantic dramas and a notable costume drama, Casque d'Or (1952), before tackling the Albert Simonin novel Touchez pas au grisbi, which he radically reworked in collaboration with the author. Becker apprenticed under Jean Renoir in the 1930s, working as his assistant on such classics as Boudu Saved from Drowning (1932), Grand Illusion (1937) and The Rules of the Game (1939), and made his feature directorial debut in 1942. Touchez pas au grisbi was the first crime film from director Jacques Becker, one of the most underrated and versatile directors in the French film industry in the years between World War II and the explosion of the French nouvelle vague.
Ventura, who went on to stardom in such gangster classics and heist films as Class tous risques (1960), Le deuxieme soufflé (1966) and Le cercle rouge (1970), represents a reckless, mercenary new wave of predatory thugs that threaten the old world of romantic gangster honor that exists only in the movies. And sure enough, that is exactly where affable drug dealer, rival crook and aspiring mob boss Angelo, played by the barrel-chested Lino Ventura in his feature debut, strikes. "Why did I decide to work with that moron?" he ponders in a voice-over, realizing that Riton, who he affectionately calls "Porcupine Head," is the weak link in his plan to retire rich.
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"50 Million Stolen at Orly, Still Not Recovered," announces a newspaper headline, which brings a knowing smile to Max's face as he sits down to a meal, in a nightclub that caters to the underworld, with his less seasoned partner Riton (Rene Dary) and a pair of showgirls (Dora Doll and a young, pouty Jeanne Moreau in one of her earliest roles).Ī silver haired man who still strolls into his favorite restaurants and nightclubs with a pretty young damsel on his arm, Max belongs to the old world of criminals, where a romantic code of loyalty and friendship trumps profit and even good sense. A genuine, under-appreciated masterpiece.Grisbi, in the parlance of the French underworld, means "loot." In the case of 1954's Touchez pas au grisbi ("don't touch the loot"), it's a small fortune in gold bars that cool, sophisticated underworld legend Max le Menteur (Jean Gabin) has stolen before the film even opens. The film itself is painted with the rich black-and-white brush strokes of the best film noir, and truly succeeds in transporting the viewer to another place and time. Jean Gabin solidifies his reputation as the greatest French film actor of all time through subtlety, nuance, and natural charisma. Max is, quite simply, the least Americanized gangster in film history, and he's a remarkable character. But he doesn't, because honor and loyalty are important aspects of Max's life, and he will protect his friend even though their big retirement job may be jeopardized. This certainly would have been the right time for Max to whack Riton, if that were what he wanted. I was reminded throughout this scene of the famous line from GOODFELLAS about assassins coming as friends. Riton has screwed up a business deal, as he has done many times in the past, and Max is getting fed up. There's an amazing, soft tension playing through this entire scene. There's a famous scene where Max and his long-time partner Riton (Rene Dary) eat pate, set up their sleeping quarters, dress in their pajamas and go to sleep without exchanging a word. The amazing thing about the film is that there's never any question that Max can be a dangerous man. Much of the film is spent watching Max (Jean Gabin) as he dines with friends, cavorts with his mistresses and listens to his favorite tune on his old record player. It's a quiet film about quiet men, living out their golden years in a dignified manner. For fans of American gangster films, Jacque Becker's TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI may seem like a radical departure from the violence and excess of films like THE GODFATHER and GOODFELLAS.
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