Another foreign film, this time from France and 1967. Directed by Louis Malle, who said that after 10 years in the business he tried to make a story of rebellion from a comfortable middle class existence, set in turn of the century Europe, just as he had tried to rebel. I think he was even more influenced by the ennui and existensialism of mid-60’s Paris.
Jean-Paul Belmondo stars as Georges Randal, The Thief of Paris, a slick thief who preys on (mostly) absent rich homeowners and, I’m sure you’ll be as amazed as me, all the women can’t give it up fast enough to him. Particularly Genevieve Bujold as his cousin and lifelong love Charlotte and Marie Dubois as Madame Delpiels, a woman trapped in a harsh marriage who Randal stumbles upon during an evening’s work as she is attempting to join his profession.
Julien Guiomar plays a thief masquarading as the priest l’abbe La Margelle. He takes Georges under his wing after the younger man’s first robbery, done more out of anger than anything else, and shows him the professional world. The faux-priest serves more as a sounding board for conversations about life and meaning, though, and I tend to believe that the action in the movie, in bed and a work is simply given to illustrate the meaninglessness of attempting material gain.
With a cool poster:
Recommended for those with a taste of more intellectual romances
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