Kino Lorber’s second collection of French noir films highlights four powerful performances by classic leading men. Although the films are unrelated and vary in overall plot quality, they’re united in their presentation of unforgettable, spectacular lead roles for their stars.
Buy French Noir Collection IIRhine Virgin (1953) kicks things off with Jean Gabin playing a mysterious drifter who joins a river barge crew, clearly on the run from something. When the barge reaches its destination, his true identity is slowly revealed to be that of a shipping-company owner who was presumed dead in WWII. With his wife and her new husband in control of his empire and not interested in his return, he works to restore his place while concealing his wartime secrets, leading to an escalating game of betrayal and deceit. The film is far too talky and bereft of action, but Gabin is magnetic as the wily man out to restore his legacy.
The Beast is Loose (1959) stars Lino Ventura as an ex-spy and current restaurant owner who is called back into duty against his will to infiltrate his friend’s criminal operation. Ventura feasts on the role, all nervous energy in the early going as he tries to wriggle out of his fate until the pivotal moment that his handlers kidnap his son to keep him on task. At that point, he’s unleashed in a primal fury as he tears through everything between him and his son, an early precursor for Liam Neeson’s typical roles but far more terrifying.
Trapped by Fear (1960) features a young Jean-Paul Belmondo as a womanizing scoundrel who stops chasing tail just long enough to help hide a buddy who accidentally killed a cop. The plot revolves around the friend, but the real action is simply Belmondo’s young buck escapades as he jumps from girl to girl in the jazz-soaked Parisian nightlife. His character is so flighty he can barely remember to check in on his friend or keep his girls straight, leading to a bit of a reckoning on the potential path to maturity when his friend’s luck runs out and his girls stop buying his bluster.
Passion of Slow Fire (1961) was probably the biggest surprise for me because I had no prior recollection of its star, Jean Desailly. He plays a mild-mannered elementary school teacher and devoted husband who unfortunately becomes the prime suspect in the death of the comely young boarder at his house. Picture Dick Van Patten in prime Eight Is Enough dorky father mode as a murder suspect. The film examines how the court of public opinion quickly works to tank his reputation and leads to devastating changes in his character that transforms him into an actual criminal, a fascinating case study anchored by Desailly’s fully committed performance.
All four of the films have been restored to peak perfection, including complete image stabilization in the credit scrolls and a seemingly total absence of flaws. None of the films really utilize moody noir lighting, with most of the action set in the daytime, but the black and white contrast and image clarity are stellar in all of them. Commentary tracks have also been included for each film, with two surprisingly supplied by well-known author Max Allan Collins (Road to Perdition). While no other bonus features are included, the discs contain a wide selection of trailers for other similar offerings.
The films are all well worth watching for their master-class lead acting performances. The plots drag a bit in both Rhine Virgin and The Passion of Slow Fire, and nearly dissipate completely in Trapped by Fear, but I was thoroughly entertained throughout the set thanks to the fascinating stars.
