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The Samurai

Le Samouraï (Le samourai)

1967

Jean-Pierre Melville

Alain Delon, Nathalie Delon, Cathy Rosier, François Périer ...

7.6

8,912

Film noir. Thriller Hitman Jeff Costello is a perfectionist who always carefully plans his murders and who never gets caught. One night however, after killing a night-club owner, he's seen by witnesses. His efforts to provide himself with an alibi fail and more and more he gets driven into a corner.

	Author	Review
United States	Nick Schager Slant	"It’s as if, by fixating so diligently on the unhurried events at hand, Melville finds a middle ground in which the realistically mundane and the entrancingly ethereal seamlessly blend together (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 4)"	POS
United Kingdom	Derek Malcolm The Guardian	"Perfectly executed (...) [It] could be regarded as one of the greatest psychological thrillers, addressing questions of honour, loyalty and betrayal"	POS
United States	Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle	"From its silent opening moments to its breathtaking double-cross conclusion, 'Le Samourai' is the work of one of the film world's great directors working at his expressive peak (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United States	Variety	"It is intermittently successful"	NEU
United States	James Berardinelli ReelViews	"[It] is close to perfection. It combines stylish direction, an intelligent script, first-rate performances, and overpowering atmosphere (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 4)"	POS
United Kingdom	Kim Newman Empire	"[It] is the most ruthlessly effective of Melville's reinterpretations of the dark world of Hollywood's gangster noirs of the 30s and 40s (…) Rating: ★★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United Kingdom	Time Out	"This is a great movie, an austere masterpiece"	POS

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