Le Pacha (1967)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 1967
	Director: Georges Lautner (Le Professionnel, Flic ou Voyou, Les Tontons Fligueurs)
	Actors: Jean Gabin (Le Cave se rebiffe, La Grande Illusion), Dany Carrel, Jean Gaven, André Pousse (La 7ème compagnie au clair de lune)
	Country: F, I
	Genre: Polar
	Conditions of visioning: 19.12.2016, 42" TV
Synopsis: After a large amount of diamonds is stolen, several gangsters die apparently from the hands of one of them, and Commissaire Joss (Gabin) starts investigating.
Review: As usual for the Christmas holidays I am eager to watch some French movies and I was glad to find out about this Georges Lautner double feature with Flic ou Voyou. Gabin was not that young anymore at the time so the role of a commissioner suits him well. It is great to see him entering the investigation, questioning his friend, getting more and more involved and finally changing his character to the point of devising a plan to have the gangsters exterminate one another. That was an excellent story-writing in the first place and Gabin (and the others) are excellent at giving life to it, and in brilliant color images. The point of view of Joss (a.k.a. The Pacha) is interesting and understandable: almost retired he is fed up with chasing always the same criminals that get away with light sentences. The complicity he has with his boss is also nicely shown, and is definitely at the opposite of how the Police is expected to behave nowadays. One additional element that plays a great role in the pleasure of watch Le Pacha is the soundtrack. Lautner has obviously understood the importance of it, and plays at repeating the same few note every time there is some suspense. That gets into your head. And after a while those few notes become the intro to Serge Gainsbourg's Requiem pour un Con, playing longer and longer until we meet the composer appearing as himself in the movie, leader of the band in which one gangster plays. I loved the meeting of Gabin and Gainsbourg, not interacting or exchanging a word in the movie, and you can see that moment in the picture below this post. A great Polar atmosphere in this old classic that must not be forgotten.
Rating: 8 /10