#271: BECKER, Jacques: Touchez Pas Au Grisbi (1954)

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BECKER, Jacques (France)
Touchez Pas Au Grisbi [1954]
Spine #271
DVD
OOP


Jean Gabin is at his most wearily romantic as aging gangster Max le Menteur in the Jacques Beker gem Touchez pas au grisbi (Hands Off the Loot!). Having pulled off the heist of a lifetime, Max looks forward to spending his remaining days relaxing with his beautiful young girlfriend. But when Riton (René Dary), Max's hapless partner and best friend, lets word of the loot slip to loose-lipped, two-timing Josy (Jeanne Moreau), Max is reluctantly drawn back into the underworld. A touchstone of the gangster-film genre, Touchez pas au grisbi is also pure Becker — understated, elegant, evocative.

96 minutes
Black & White
Monaural
in French
1:33:1 aspect ratio
Criterion Release 2005
Director/Writers


Based on the novel by Albert Simonin.
Adapted by Jacques Becker, Maurice Griffe, and Simonin.
Dialogue by Simonin.
Becker was 48 when he directed Touchez pas au Grisbi.

Other Becker films in the Collection:

#270: Casque D'Or (1952)
#129: Le Trou (1960)

The Film

Film Rating (0-60):

60

The Extras

The Booklet

Eight-page wraparound featuring an essay by Geoffrey O’Brien.

Commentary

None.

Video interview

With actor Cauchy.
Excerpt

From an episode of the French television series Cinéastes de notre temps dedicated to Becker, featuring screenwriter Griffe, Grisbi author Simonin, actor Ventura, and François Truffaut.
Interview

Excerpt from 1972 with Ventura.
Clip

From a 1978 interview with composer Jean Wiener.
Theatrical trailer

Extras Rating (0-40):

39

60 + 39 =

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