Classic Film : What are your top 20 French Film Noir.

What are your top 20 French Film Noir.

Hi all,inspired by the wonderful thread Maddy recently did,I've made a list of my (current) top 20 French Film Noir,and would like to ask what your 20 would be?

Mine,in no order:

1: Chair de Poule ( Julien Duvivier)

2: Classe Tous Risques ( Claude Sautet )

3: Casque d'Or (Jacques Becker)

4: Death of a Killer (Robert Hossein )

5: Sortilèges (Christian-Jaque)

6: Panic (Julien Duvivier)

7: Night Is Not for Sleep (Robert Hossein)

8: The Damned (Rene Clement)

9: Who Killed Santa Claus? (Christian-Jaque)

10:The 7th Juror ( Georges Lautner)

11: Razzia sur la chnouf ( Henri Decoin)

12: Le monte-charge (Marcel Bluwal)

13: Goupi mains rouges (Jacques Becker)

14:Manon (Henri-Georges Clouzot)

15: Assassins et voleurs (Sacha Guitry)

16: Retour de Manivelle ( Denys de La Patellière)

17: Le Jour se Leve (Marcel Carné)

18: Pépé le Moko (Julien Duvivier)

19: The Murderer Lives at Number 21 (Henri-Georges Clouzot)

20: Terrain vague (Marcel Carné)

Thanks.

Re: What are your top 20 French Film Noir.

No order.

Le doulos
Panique
Bob le flambeur
Le deuxieme souffle
Le samourai
Le cercle rouge (obviously I'm a Melville enthusiast)
L'ete meurtrier
En cas de malheur
Maigret tend une piege
La nuit du carrefour
Quai des orfevres (Clouzot)
La tete d'un homme (Duvivier)
Pepe le moko
Razzia sur le chnouf
Les inconnus dans la maison (Decoin)

That's 15, all I have time for now.

Re: What are your top 20 French Film Noir.

A very good list Bob,and impressed by his performance in Who Killed Santa,was wondering what Harry Baur is like in La tête d'un homme,and also,what did you think of Razzia sur le chnouf?

Thanks.

Re: What are your top 20 French Film Noir.

Not ranked:

Tirez sur le Pianiste (Truffaut)
Classes Tous Risques (Sautet)
Therese (Franju)
La Chienne (Renoir)
Le Corbeau (Clouzot)
Une si Jolie Petite Plage (Allegret)
La Nuit du Carrefour (Renoir)
Les Diaboliques (Clouzot)
L'Ascenseur pour l'Echafaud (Malle)
Casque d'Or (Becker)
Le Samourai (Melville)
Bob le Flambeur (Melville)
Made in USA (Godard)
Pickpocket (Bresson)
A Double Tour (Chabrol)
La Bete Humaine (Renoir)
Le jour se leve
Pepe le Moko
La mariee etait en noir (Truffaut)
Le deuxieme souffle

Re: What are your top 20 French Film Noir.

Great to see CHAIR DE POULE at Nr 1, I love it. Very black Duvivier with Hossein and Sorel both perfect.The other Hosseins are terrific too.

Also MELODIE EN SOUS SOL from Verneil in '63 with old lag Gabin pulling off a casino hoist with young hotshot Delon- great climax by the pool.

Verneuil's WHAT PRICE MURDER (UN MANCHE ET LA BELLE) is a terrific little noir thriller too fron 57 with Henri Vidal, Isa Miranda and Mylene Demongeot.

Duvivier's 1956 VOICI DE TEMPS DES ASSASSINS is a neat thriller too with Gabin in his element.

Rene Clement too of course with LES MAUDITS, PLEIN SOLEIL, LES FELINS.

The Melvilles of course are classics: LE SAMOURAI, ARMY OF SHADOWS, etc.

They're on to you - I'm in your room.

http://www.osullivan60.blogspot.com/

Re: What are your top 20 French Film Noir.

I haven't seen too many, but I really like:

Elevator to the Gallows

The 7th Juror

Rififi

Diaboliques

The Murderer Lives at Number 21
(except for the humor, which got really tiring here)

~~~~~
Proud to be Canadian! 🇨🇦

Re: What are your top 20 French Film Noir.

Hi there MDF...have added a few films onto my watch-list thanks for the recs!.

I would agree with everyone here and choose 15 Top French Noir from those already mentioned, plus ...

La Mort de Belle,The End of Belle (1961) Directed by Édouard Molinaro.
Adapted from a Georges Simenon novel. An excellent multi layered psychological detective story that twists and turns..

Non coupable, Not Guilty (1947) Directed by Henri Decoin.
Life spirals out of control and gets murkier and darker as the plot thickens, Michel Simon is a standout in this excellent little seen French Noir...

L'étrange Monsieur Victor (1938) Directed by Jean Grémillon.
A tremendous early atmospheric French Noir with a great cast and that stylistic flare which flows from Grémillon's creativity.

Pattes blanches White Paws (1949) Directed by Jean Grémillon
Excellent moody drama is highlighted by Suzy Delair's bitchy performance as she manipulates her way around her new village home.

L'étrange Madame X (1951) Directed by Jean Grémillon
An excellent dark tale of deception brilliantly crafted and superbly acted
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