Le samouraï (The Godson) (1967, 105 min)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062229/
I'll be honest. I really wanted this DVD just for the case cover. If I ever have a DVD collection, I want this one to sit prominently in front so that it always looks out. It's just amazing.
The film itself follows Alain Delon as Jef Costello, a lone hitman. Killing a nightclub owner and seen by a variety of people, he must escape both the police and the people who placed the hit. He has his wits about him along with the help of his "girlfriend" Jane Lagrange (Nathalie Delon) providing an amazing alibi. However, the tightening grip by those who ordered the hit along with police Superintendent (François Périer) eventually lead to Costello's death.
One thing I loved about this film is the silence. I could probably count on one hand how many scenes had over five lines of dialogue. It's incredible how director Melville could make such a good movie with so little talking. The images created are superb - the whole city becomes an active participant in the movie. The narrow streets, the crowded Metro, Costello's apartment, and the police office are all major "characters" in the movie and increase the tension. Also, in moments of high tension the camera will focus incredibly close on the characters' faces adding even more tension.
Because of all the silence there really isn't much acting in the movie in the usual sense. Combined with the film being French, I might not have caught the nuances and stresses of words in the dialogue, but the movements and mannerisms come through regardless of language. In these, each character performed fine. Costello's stoic hitman is one of the coolest characters I've seen in film.
The plot of the movie is not really much but it creates a lot of tension. The Metro scenes are far and away the best in my opinion. With Costello being watched by tons of police officers and lights flashing his every location on a map in front of the Superintendent, the cat and mouse game is extremely intense. It's the highlight of the movie in my opinion. The other highly riveting scene is the entire climax of the movie. With a surprise twist at the end, the film had me shocked.
Overall, I gave this film an 8/10. It's not an edge-of-your-seat thriller in the sense I was expecting but it still delivered. The hitman Jef Costello is one of my new favorite film characters. And the DVD cover? I can now also recommend the movie behind the most amazing DVD case in history.
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Criterion covers are so godly
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