Le Deuxieme Souffle [Criterion Collection]

Director: Jean-Pierre Melville Jean-Pierre Melville

Overview

"Veteran gangster Gustave (Lino Ventura) escapes from prison to find his sister is being blackmailed by some petty thugs in this crime thriller. He plans one last caper to steal enough money in hopes of retiring to a tropical paradise. He and his gang are sought by a detective (Paul Meurisse), the cop who plays by the book and avoids the sadistic torture practiced by his less-honorable cohorts. Soon Gustave is caught between the police and the double-crossing gangsters and discovers too late that there is no honor among thieves."

Product Details

Release Date:	10/07/2008
UPC:	0715515032926
Original Release:	1966
Rating:	NR
Source:	Criterion Collection
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[B&W, Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	2:24:00

Special Features

New, restored high-definition digital transfer; Audio commentary featuring film scholar Ginette Vincendeau, author of Jean-Pierre Melville: An American in Paris, and film critic Geoff Andrew of the british film institute; New video interview with director Bertrand Tavernier, who served as publicity agent on the film; Archival footage featuring interviews with Melville and actor Lino Ventura; Original theatrical trailer; New and improved English subtitle translation; Plus: a new essay by film critic Adrian Danks

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Lino Ventura	Gustave Minda
Paul Meurisse	Inspector Blot
Raymond Pellegrin	Paul Ricci
Christine Fabrega	Actor
Pierre Zimmer	Orloff
Marcel Bozzuffi	Ricci
Michel Constantin	Alban
Paul Frankeur	Fardiano
Mel Ferrer	Actor
Bernard Gérard	Composer

Technical Credits

Jean-Pierre Melville

José Giovanni

Jean-Pierre Melville	Director,Screenwriter
José Giovanni	Screenwriter

Editorial Reviews

Director Jean-Pierre Melville's obsession with American crime thrillers is in abundant evidence in Le Deuxieme Souffle, an excellent film despite being a bit too long. Melville's obsession is not, fortunately, concerned with merely copying its American counterparts, but in using them as a model against which he can play variations of his own, until what emerges has a life and vibrancy that is unique to itself. Significantly, Souffle also allows Melville to make some subtle (and not so subtle) allusions to Nazi-occupied France and the problem of resistance vs. cooperation; this is most evident toward the end of the film, when the leading character becomes a man trying to escape his pursuers while trying to, in his own way, clear his name. Melville's direction is taut, despite the film's 150-minute playing time, and tension is present almost throughout. He does a marvelous job with the set pieces that are the lifeblood of this particular genre, and the hijacking of the armored vehicle is especially effective. Souffle isn't perfect; some of it feels a bit unfinished, as if Melville didn't quite achieve what he was aiming for. But there's so much power and impact that most will be willing to forgive Le Deuxieme Souffle its lapses and revel in its pleasures.