Bob le flambeur (1956)

Director:

Jean-Pierre Melville

Writers:

Auguste Le Breton (dialogue)
Auguste Le Breton (writer)

Release Date:

1959 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Bob, a old gangster and gambler is almost broke, so he decides in spite of the warnings of a friend...

Plot Keywords:

Casino | Police | Gambler | Deauville | Robbery

Cast

Isabelle Corey	...	Anne
Daniel Cauchy	...	Paolo
Roger Duchesne	...	Robert 'Bob' Montagné
André Garet	...	Roger
Gérard Buhr	...	Marc
Guy Decomble	...	Commissaire Ledru
Claude Cerval	...	Jean, le croupier
Howard Vernon	...	McKimmie, le commanditaire
Colette Fleury	...	Suzanne, la femme de Jean
Simone Paris	...	Yvonne
René Havard	...	Inspecteur Morin
Germaine Licht	...	La concierge
Jean-Marie Rivière	...	P'tit Louis, un gangster
Chris Kersen	...	Un gangster (as Kris Kersen)
Henry Allaume	...	Un gangster (as Allaume)

Also Known As:

Bob the Gambler
Fever Heat (USA)
Jean-Pierre Melville's Bob the Gambler (Australia)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Organisation Générale Cinématographique

Trivia:

Jean Cocteau did an uncredited rewrite of the script at one point for Jean-Pierre Melville. Most of the script was rejected because it focused too much Bob and Paulo's relationship rather then Melville's original intentions.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Bob goes to ask for money to the race horse owner, you can clearly see the shadow of the camera on the ground.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in À bout de souffle (1960)

Gamble, Bob, Gamble, in it is the source of salvation

Imagine a movie in which a gambler finds out about a huge payday at a casino and decides to pull off a major heist. He and a couple of friends find a rich backer to put up the money necessary to pull such a large heist and then Bob (the gambler) decides to enlist some others to help out. In the end, he has involved not 9, not 10, but 11 people in the heist. Sound familiar. This hugely influential film by Jean-Pierre Melville has spawned both versions of Ocean's 11 and is also often credited as the grandfather of the Nouvelle Vague movement.

This movie is French, so unlike the American versions of Ocean's Eleven, there is no singing, no laughing, no hi-fiving, just straight-faced gambling, plotting and even the loving is grim and made without a smile. The characters are memorable, especially Bob and Anne as they go through life expecting no happiness. Bob never goes to bed before 6am, as he spends his nights, every night, gambling at different locations. This addiction is part of who he is and plays a key role in the twist at the end.

This movie is like a good strong Camembert. As with many French movies, definitely an acquired taste, but once one learns to appreciate the sharpness, one realizes that there is nothing comparable. Camembert, unlike bacon, is not the food of joy. But it is good, flavorful, and powerful in making one want to partake again and again. Until you feel the tanginess in your mouth, there is no describing the taste or effect, but it is definitely worth the effort to build an appreciation for it. 8/10