Tonight's Movie: Touchez Pas Au Grisbi (1954)

In recent months I've been very much enjoying French film noir and crime films, mainly due to new releases from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

I've been meaning to catch up with TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI (1954), roughly translated as DON'T TOUCH THE LOOT, for a number of years, and happily it's also available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.  I purchased this disc some time ago and am very glad I did.

I first became aware of this film when it was co-introduced on Turner Classic Movies in 2012 by my late friend Gina Neylon, also known by her online handle as Moira Finnie. At that time I wasn't particularly interested in foreign films, but that has happily changed over the years and my viewing has widened considerably.

I've become a great admirer of the French heist film RIFIFI (1955), and I saw some parallels between that movie and TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI, which came out a year ahead of RIFIFI.

Each film travels a path from the mundane and quiet -- very literally, in terms of RIFIFI's heist sequence -- to a woman learning critical information which in turn leads to a violent, gripping climax.

In TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI Max (Jean Gabin) and his longtime friend and partner in crime Riton (Rene Dary) have pulled off a major gold heist, but this only becomes clear to slowly. Max and Riton were so successful not even their friends know they were behind the job.

While waiting for things to calm down so they can unload their loot, Max and Riton spend time in a restaurant frequented by gangsters, run by Madame Bouche (Denise Clair), and while away time with showgirls (Dora Doll and Jeanne Moreau); in Max's case, he also has a glamous slightly older mistress (Marilyn Bufferd) waiting in the wings.

That said, Max and Riton are getting on in years; Max is ready to retire and lead a more relaxed life, and he's also concerned for his friend, having learned Riton's mistress Josy (Moreau) is unfaithful.

Josy picks up the info that Max and Riton are sitting on something big, prompting gangster Angelo (Lino Ventura) to kidnap Riton, calculating that Max is so loyal to Riton that he will trade his ill-gotten stash for his friend...

This is almost a "gangster procedural," spending much of the film focused on things such as how to stash loot, keep a safe house, and fence ill-gotten goods. Then suddenly it shifts gears into a literally explosive finale using weapons stashed away since the Occupation.

Having now seen him in several films, I've been trying to put my finger on what makes Jean Gabin so interesting. His looks are fairly ordinary and he's anything but flamboyant, yet he commands attention. There's a certain confidence to his performances, especially here, including the sense that his characters know a great deal and have deep inner thoughts. In fact, we're actually exposed to Max's thinking late in this film, as he philosophically contemplates the trouble his dear friend has caused.

Gabin's Max is admirable in many ways, particularly in his loyalty to his friends. I enjoyed watching the way he helps and guides the younger Marco (Michel Jourdan), paying his restaurant tab, finding him work, then inviting him along on mission to reclaim Riton, with the warning it will be a rough job.

At the same time, Max and friends are uncouth and disrespectful with women of a "certain kind." A particular "grabby" moment Max engages in backstage at a nightclub was rather shocking, given that we would never see anything like it in a U.S. film of this era. On the other hand, the older ladies of Max's circle, who have proven their worth, receive his trust and appreciation.

The entire cast is outstanding, with Ventura's double-crossing gangster and Moreau's beautiful, sassy (and drug-addicted) Josy making particularly strong impressions.

TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI is engaging for all of its 96 minutes. (As a side note, Kino Lorber's box has a typo indicated the film is 86 minutes.)

TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI was directed by Jacques Becker. It was filmed in black and white by Pierre Montazel and looks absolutely beautiful.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray has a commentary track by Nick Pinkerton along with a couple of interviews, the trailer, and a gallery for five additional trailers for other films available form Kino Lorber.

TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI is a film I will definitely be returning to in the future. Very much recommended.

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