Film Forum

U.S./France, 1959
Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville
With Jean-Pierre Melville, Pierre Grasset
Approx. 94 mins. DCP.

The French delegate is a no-show at the UN, as AFP (Agence France Presse) cameraman Pierre Grasset and reporter Melville (himself) cherchez la femme — there are four of them — with multiple betrayals and stinging revelations along the way, in 50s time capsule, partly-location-shot New York.

Reviews

“The choreographic rendition of Melville’s devotion for the American noir and the demonstration of his ability to make it his own avoiding prosy pastiches.”
– Mubi

“[Melville] turns a story of back-alley pleasures and lowball jackpots into a glorious myth about the making of a nation's glorious myths.”
– Richard Brody, The New Yorker

“The story is full of Melville’s ethical shadings and complications, and the night time street scenes, shot by Nicolas Hayer, are dazzling, a foreigner’s delirious vision of Manhattan after dark.”
– J.R. Jones, Chicago Reader

“Intentionally or not, Melville’s only American-produced feature delivers a rare blend of fun, occasionally silly pastiche and profound ideas that hints at the more advanced tonal range yet to come.”
– Eric Kohn, IndieWire