'Bob le flambeur' works like a charm on viewers.
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No one does hard-bitten romanticism like the French, and few French filmmakers are as in love with the underworld as director Jean-Pierre Melville. John Woo, one of my favorite filmmakers, constantly refers to Melville as one of his inspirations. With such seminal works as "Le Samourai" and "Bob le flambeur", Melville practically invented the French gangster film, paving the way for Nouvelle Vague (French New Wave) projects like "A bout de soufflé" ("Breathless").
In "Bob le flambeur" ("Bob the High Roller" or "Bob the Gambler", depending on whom you ask), Bob (Roger Duchesne) spends his nights gambling until dawn. He is such a compulsive gambler that he even has a slot machine at home. He gives the slot machine one last pull before he goes to bed in the morning and one last pull as he leaves his apartment at night. Despite his propensity for playing the odds, Bob isn´t like most other underworld figures. He has a genuine heart that leads him to care for Paulo (Daniel Cauchy) as if Paulo were his son. Bob also rescues Anne (Isabelle Corey), a teenager, from the streets. He even plays matchmaker for Paulo and Anne. (Those of your familiar with Paul Thomas Anderson´s "Hard Eight" will notice that Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, and Gwyneth Paltrow play roles very much inspired by Bob, Paulo, and Anne.)
Bob´s luck deserts him, however, and he and his friends devise a plan to rob the Deauville casino. The casino stores 800 million francs in its safe in anticipation of heavy business for the Grand Prix, and a successful heist would guarantee the financial comfort of Bob´s crew. In order for the heist to succeed, Bob and Company must avoid diligent policemen, informers, pimps, women who blab at inopportune times, and others who want in on the 800 million take.
"Bob le flambeur" works like a charm on viewers. Despite the moody atmosphere of the film´s smoky settings, the story never really approaches the bloodily melodramatic tone of true gangster movies. In fact, the action nimbly flits across the screen, seducing audiences with the seedy glamour of men-in-suits giving each other dirty looks while holding their hands of cards close to their chests. And, despite certain complications that occur midway through the movie, the planned heist still proceeds, though you´ll be rather surprised by the way the script resolves characters´ predicaments.
Video:
For a 46-year-old film, "Bob le flambeur" looks very good on DVD. Sure, physically, the 1.33:1 (full-frame on 4:3 monitors) black-and-white film print can not look as fresh as a movie shot within the past 5 years, but the final video transfer looks very smooth and stable. Film grain has been kept to a minimum, and the movie remains mostly clean and free of dust/hair. However, light sourcing seems to be a bit of a problem, but that probably has to do with the movie´s low-budget origins.
Audio:
The DVD offers one primary audio track--a Dolby Digital 1.0 French sound mix. The DVD´s audio quality is top-notch for a mono source. I didn´t hear any pops, hisses, or drop-outs, and there weren´t any "wavy" moments, suggesting that none of the audio sourcing had warped over the years. However, since the soundtrack comes courtesy of a mono mix, high trebles and lower frequencies do sound awkward given the limitations of the audio technology. (Optional English subtitles support the audio.)
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