La Scoumoune (1972)
Directed by José Giovanni

Film Review

Anyone who had previously seen Jean Becker's 1961 film Un nommé la Rocca could be forgiven for having a strong sense of déjà vu when watching this film.  La Scoumoune is effectively a re-make of that film, which itself was based on José Giovanni's own novel L'Excommunié.  The impression of familiarity is compounded by having acting legend Jean-Paul Belmondo playing the same lead character in both films.

The writer-director José Giovanni rated L'Excommunié as one of his favourite works, and an obvious subject for screen adaptation when he became a film director.  He was probably also motivated by his frustration with Jean Becker's earlier adaptation of his novel.  Un nommé la Rocca suffered greatly because of intervention from the producer, who wanted to tone down the violence and supposedly immoral tone in Giovanni's novel.  The result was a pretty bland gangster film, which satisfied neither Giovanni nor the film's star, Belmondo.  La Scoumoune (which translates as 'bad luck') was Giovanni's attempt to set the record straight and tell his story in the way he had intended.  In contrast to the sanitised earlier adaptation, La Scoumoune is far more explicit in its depiction of death and violence, one of the things which makes this the better of the two films.

It is also technically a better film, with strong visuals and more impactful photography. There is a greater sense of drama in the prison and mine-clearing scenes towards the end of the film, and whilst Giovanni's direction is not without its flaws, its clumsy boldness is preferable to Becker's insipid restraint. The action scenes are also far more violent, no doubt influenced by the new wave of American thrillers of the period.

When this film was made, its lead actor Jean-Paul Belmondo was just beginning to come to grips with international stardom after the success of such films as L'homme de Rio and Borsalino.  It would be unfair to say that success went to the actor's head but his screen performances from the early 1970s on tended to lack the reality of earlier years as Belmondo the actor gave way to Belmondo the superstar. This is the one virtue that Becker's film has over Giovanni's glossy remake - Belmondo's character is somewhat more believable. Although La Scoumoune attracted an audience of nearly two million in France, it was somewhat less successful than other Belmondo vehicles of this time, which frequently ranged from three to five million.

Film Synopsis

In the mid-1930s, contract killer Roberto Borgo leaves Sicily and heads for Marseille, coming to the aid of his old friend Xavier Saratov, who has just been arrested for murder.  After finding the gang of crooks who were responsible for Xavier's arrest, Roberto quickly disposes of their leader and, taking his place as 'La Scoumoune' (the 'Jinxed One'), he coerces them into supplying the necessary funds to pay for his friend's legal defence.  His efforts are in vain.  Found guilty of murder Xavier is sentenced to twenty years of hard labour.

Roberto refuses to be beaten and plans an audacious attempt to free Xavier from prison.  As he does so, he takes care of his friend's sister Georgia and places her in charge of a brothel.  It is through Georgia that Roberto learns that a gang of American racketeers are moving in on his patch.  With Roberto refusing to yield his territory a bloody shoot-out is inevitable.  Although he survives the fierce exchange of bullets, Roberto is arrested and ends up in the same prison as Xavier.  As war breaks out between France and Germany the two men offer to enlist in the French army but are turned down.  Two subsequent escape attempts end in dismal failure.

It is after the Liberation that Roberto and Xavier are offered a pardon, if they agree to help defuse German bombs on the beach.  Their freedom bought at a high price, the two men then find work as heavies for a nightclub owner in Paris. They soon grow tired of their new life and plan to retire to Normandy once they have scraped together enough cash.  Unfortunately, the man they attempt to defraud does not have a forgiving nature.  After his friend has been brutally gunned down, Roberto has just one thought in his head: revenge...