Touchez pas au grisbi

Hands off the Loot

Director
Jacques Becker
Cast
Jean Gabin, Lino Ventura, Jeanne Moreau
Date
1953
Duration
94 Minutes
Cert.
PG

Jacques Becker's benchmark film noir re-launched Jean Gabin’s career, arguably the most prolific and popular actor in French cinema history. In addition, Jeanne Moreau fans will be pleased to discover her in an early, pre-New Wave role, as the sassy femme fatale Josy.

Gabin plays a typical anti-hero in Max the liar, an aging gangster who intends to quit the rat race after one last heist to allow him to spend the rest of his days with his girlfriend. These ambitions are disrupted following the kidnapping of his best friend Riton (René Dary) after being betrayed by his ex Josy. Max has to decide whether to forfeit the spoils of his criminal victories in the name of loyalty. As the title suggests, Gabin's Max will not go down without a fight.

This pulsating yet moody feature shows Becker at his best and inspired a great wave of directors, such as Jean-Pierre Melville.