Film Review
Le Rapace is the second film from screenwriter-turned-director
José Giovanni after
La Loi du survivant (1967)
and easily rates as one of his more inspired films, although it is not without its faults.
The film was shot on location in Mexico, and consequently is both visually stunning in some sequences and
grimly realistic in others. Giovanni's inexperience as a director manifests itself in a few places
- some of the performances are painfully wooden, some of the camerawork looks needlessly
arty and a hideous musical score gives the film the feel of a cheap spaghetti
western.
Most off-putting are the film's uneven tempo and the jarring mismatch between
the studio and location sequences in the first part of the film. Where the
film is strongest is in its portrayal of the relationship between a cynical killer - played
to perfection by the magnificent Lino Ventura (who featured in the director's
subsequent
Dernier domicile connu (1970)
and
Le Ruffian (1983),
being particularly well-suited to Giovanni's unforgiving, macho world) - and a naïve idealistic revolutionary
played by Mexican actor Xavier Marc.
The subtle interplay between the two central characters provides a thoughtful reflection on the morality and politics of assassination, playing
to Giovanni's strengths as a writer. After a lumbering first half, the film suddenly
comes to life in its second, and the conclusion is as tense and gripping as in any action thriller of
this era, with some masterfully directed shoot out sequences that combine the best of the classic
American western with traditional French film noir.
© James Travers 2007
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next José Giovanni film:
Dernier domicile connu (1970)
Film Synopsis
In 1938, a hired killer named Le Rital arrives in a South American country to assassinate
an unpopular president. He is billeted with Miguel Juarez, grandson of the previous
president, an idealist who is to be credited with the assassination. Opposite them
is a splendid house in which the president's mistress lives in luxury, flaunting her wealth
to the oppressed poor who surround her. After a long wait, during which Le Rital
and Miguel develop an uneasy friendship, the president arrives and his execution proceeds
as planned. However, as they make their escape, Le Rital and Miguel soon discover
that they have been duped…
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.