Le Professionnel
by Georges Lautner
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Cyrielle Clair, Elisabeth Margoni, Jean Desailly, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Marie-Christine DescouardDirector: Georges Lautner
Writer: Georges Lautner
Producer: Alain Belmondo
Producer: Alexandre Mnouchkine
Producer: Georges Dancigers
Writer: Jacques Audiard
Writer: Michel Audiard
Writer: Patrick Alexander
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); French (Original Language)
Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 108 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-10-30
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Image Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Le Professionnel
Movie Review: Bravo, Bebel!
Summary: 5 Stars
Jean-Paul Belmondo was often referred to as the "French Bogart" during much of the New Wave era in foreign cinema. After starring in classics such as Breathless and The Man From Rio, one could understand the comparison although each actor adopted a very different screen persona. Belmondo has always favored a lighter, humorous approach. By 1981, France had entered the "gritty antihero" phase long employed by Belmondo's American contemporaries Clint Eastwood and the late Steve McQueen. Of the movies produced during this period, Le Professionnel stands out as his best effort. Based on Patrick Alexander's 1976 novel Death of a Thin-Skinned Animal, the film version stars Belmondo as Joss Beaumont, a French government agent sent to assassinate a military dictator in the fictional African nation of Malagawi. Political winds quickly begin blowing in the opposite direction though, leaving Beaumont literally hanging out to dry. After making an easy escape from captivity, the now slightly unhinged professional decides to complete his mission while exacting payback on his former employers. By the end of the film he also manages to have not one, but three different women longing for his companionship.
The cast here is a huge plus. Former film director Robert Hossein is the sadistic Commissioner Rosen, who is obsessed with terminating Beaumont at any cost. The late Michel Beaune portrays Beaumont's sympathetic friend, Captain Valeras. Cyrielle Clair, Elisabeth Margoni, and Marie-Christine Descouard are Belmondo's love interests, with each woman adding their own take on their relationship with Beaumont. Jean-Louis Richard and Jean Desailly round things out as Beaumont's more hesitant pursuers. Director Georges Lautner is heavily influenced by Sergio Leone here, with frequent close-ups of the actors done in Leone's highly innovative style. This works very much in his favor, in particular during Beaumont and Rosen's Leone-inspired duel scene. (Belmondo was once a boxer, so his rugged features add much to the character.) Lautner is aided by Oscar-winning composer and frequent Leone collaborator Ennio Morricone, who provided a haunting score with the creation of Chi Mai for this film. It is possibly Morricone's best known work next to the theme music for The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Chi Mai is an enchanting, beautiful, and melancholic piece that suits both Beaumont's quest and his final fate quite superbly.
I own two different versions of this film: In French, with either English subtitles or Spanish dubbing. They were likely taken off European PAL releases so I can't vouch for the quality of any Region 1 transfers as the DVD is currently unavailable in this country. Even so, I highly recommend it to cinema lovers on both sides of the pond. If you manage to obtain a non-regional print that plays on a PC or video game console, please do not hesitate. It's not a long film and the plot is anything but convoluted. There is a very brief nude scene on Margony's part but no explicit sex or violence. That's not what Belmondo's films are about. Instead, he mixes action and drama with an inimitable knack for levity. He also performs his own stunts as in many previous movies. Much of the younger Belmondo of the 50's and 60's is still present here, echoing the charming daredevil of times gone by.
On a personal note, I have watched this movie several times over and it is among my top 5 favorite films of all time. Morricone's Chi Mai plays frequently on my blog. I was even lucky enough to obtain Belmondo's personal signature on a vintage poster advertising the film along with two photo cards. They are framed atop my desk as I write this review and I consider them rare gems among my autograph collection. Seek out this movie and enjoy it! You're likely to consider it well worth your time.
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