Jean-Pierre Melville: The Red Circle

Director/Writer - Jean Pierre Melville

Cast Character

Alain Delon ...Corey

Bourvil ... Le Commissaire Mattei

Gian Maria Volonte ... Vogel

Yves Montand ... Jansen

Paul Crauchet ... Le Receleur

Paul Amiat .... L'inspecteur

The Red Circle is the perfect example of of a film with minimalism, timing and atmosphere that drive the suspense in this heist flick. What makes this film so great is the tension, cinematography and lack of dialogue that bring bring you closer into the details of the movie. The film starts out with four men in a car racing to a building. We see both men going to a train handcuffed to one another. There is silence. Like There Will Be Blood the first 10 minutes or so lacks dialogue. The jail guard gives Corey, the main thief, a tip off of him being released tomorrow with a job for him. The camera takes a minimalistic view. Every shot is patient and carefully planned. The shots are so crystal clear and lush with color. Many older films lose some picture quality from age and scratched negatives but this seems to have gotten better with age.

The guard tells Corey there is a new security system installed for his brother in a law firm. Corey doesn't want to go back to jail but he has no other options or skills for that matter than to be a thief. He collects his things before leaving the jail but leaves the picture of his old woman behind.

The attention to detail is pure Melville as his minimalistic shots heighten the action. This is seen when the prisoner escapes the train after patiently lock-picking his handcuffs. He escapes with no problem. He visits a man who owes him a favor and quickly finds a safe behind a painting. Delon always has an ice cold look to him with his blue eyes that are emotionless. He is hard to read and mysterious. He is always focused on the job at hand and has very little desires or distractions. He leaves a photo of the woman he used to be with with the man who she is with now.

There is very little dialogue in this film similar to that of Le samouraï. Corey is so calm and cool nothing fazes him. Even after he kills a guy a guy after playing billiards after ripping his ex-employer off he pulls the telephone wire out so the manager can't call the police. He does this without any fear or anxiety.

Vogel, the fugitive, sneaks into the trunk of Corey's car and at the road-stop Corey can't open his trunk because the man who sold it to him gave him the wrong key. After Corey pulls over and sees Vogel who snuck in his car they exchange words and Corey gives him a cigarette taking one as well. This is seen is two counter shot close-ups of each person's face to show that they are equals - as Corey himself is a criminal.

After being cut off by another car two men hired by his ex-employer chase after him for his money he stole. Vogel quietly emerges from the trunk and shoots both men.

At this point Mattei, the lead detective, desperate to catch him tries to guess what he likes in order to bait him. They know very little of him and cannot use any friends or acquaintances to get to him.

The cops find the two dead bodies from before and also the few thousand francs left behind. They think they fought over the money. They end up wiretapping Santi, bar owner, to get information but he refuses to be an informant. They case a jewelry building to plan their heist. While pretending to look at bracelets inside one of the team notices a camera and the case holding the jewelry case. He sees the key holder on the wall. He is meticulous and subtle. The rack focus between the jewelry in his hand and the sensors in the case in effective for this subtlety.

Corey and Vogel climb to the rooftop. The painstaking care they take to break in channels the skill and disciplined approach of Robert Bresson. Jean-Pierre Melville is a master of detail and cuts any unnecessary shots from his films that don't serve tension or progress story or character. His films are all meat and no fat. They knock out the guard before he sees them. The sharpshooter hits a button on the wall to turn off the alarm. The scene is tense and never lets up. What is interesting about this part is that there is no dialogue during the heist which lasts 25 minutes. This brings the audience deeper into film. The tied up guard finally hits the alarm button and the three escape. Corey returns to his jeweler and finds he won't buy his merchandise because it's too hot.

The sharpshooter turns down his cut. He thanks Corey to which Corey says he needed him more but Corey gave life in him by giving him a battleground to prove his skills once again, rather than rotting in his apartment.

The jazz score shows the film's improvisational chances . The unknown is just around the corner and one should expect uncertainty. In the end we see Mattei working with Corey's buyer for an interesting twist.