DEUX HOMMES DANS LA VILLE/ TWO MEN IN TOWN
France, 1973, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jean Gabin, Alain Delon, Mimsy Farmer, Michel Bouquet, Victor Lanoux, Cecile Vassort, Malka Ribowska, Gerard Depardieu.
Directed by José Giovanni.
Two Men in Town is one of the many films in the 1970s produced by Alain Delon. By this stage, Delon had become a significant figure in European cinema as well as making films in the United States. He made number of classics with such directors as Visconti and René Clement.
During the 1970s he made a number of crime films with such directors as Deray, José Giovanni, Jean- Pierre Melville, George Lautner. This is one of those films, the story of a criminal, Gino, in jail for 10 years, rehabilitated, let out on parole on the recommendation of a friendly social worker. While all seems to go well, there is some tragedy with the death of his wife, the semi retirement of the social worker and moved to Montpelier. However, in the spirit of Les Miserables, there is a vindictive policeman who is out to get Gino, pursuing him, hounding him, until Gino is forced into violent retaliation for which is arrested and executed by guillotine.
The film is considered a contribution to the arguments against capital punishment in France.
The film is interesting in its generations of leading French actors of the generation. Jean Gabin, his heyday was in the 1930s but who continued to film during the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s until his death in 1976. He plays the social worker. Then Alain Delon was a French stile from the 1960s to the 1980s. In a small role as a taunting criminal, there is Gerard Depardieu who was to receive top billing, making many films in France, some in the United States, for almost 50 years. While he appears with Delon, does not appear in the scene with Gabin.
The film was remade in the United States by Rashid Boucharib with a star cast including Forest Whitaker as the parolee, Harvey Keitel as the pursuing sheriff, and with Ellen Burstyn and Brenda Blethyn.
1. A 1970s French crime drama? The law, social work, criminals, rehabilitation? Pursued by police? The issue of capital punishment?
2. The Paris settings, the French countryside, Montpelier? The atmosphere of the city, of the towns? Prisons, parole officers? Workplaces? Homes? Authentic atmosphere? The musical score?
3. The title, the focus on Cazeneuve and Strabiggli? Britain, Paris, Montpelier? Cazeneuve and his voice-over, his commentary, situations, criminals, parole, rehabilitation, the law, prison and justice, capital punishment?
4. The social worker, his age, experience, almost 30 years? His home life, his wife and support? His going to the prison, making the case for Gino? Getting him out, taking him home, reunion with his wife – and her playing the record over and over during his imprisonment?
5. Gino, his character, in the gang, the bank robbery, his imprisonment, the effect of prison, improving? Getting out, the exhilaration? Reunion with his wife? The prospect of work, his record? His being convict-listed for jobs, his good work, the support of his employers?
6. The social worker, semi retirement, going to Montpelier, the bond with Gino and Gino moving with his wife? Again settling, good work?
7. The gang turning up, confronting Gino, their taunts, his refusing to cooperate?
8. The drive, the cars, reckless, the crash, Gino’s injury, the death of his wife?
9. Gino meeting the bank assistant, the relationship, knowing the truth about him? Her love?
10. The relentless police inspector, the long connection with Gino, arresting the gang, vindictive attitude towards Gino, coming back into his life, the Confrontations, interviewing the bank assistant, Gino’s bosses? Contact with Cazeneuve?
11. The provocation, the effect on Gino, testing him? Hounding, his turning against the inspector, the consequences, crime? Arrest, trial, sentence?
12. In prison, condemned to death, those attending, his refusal of the services of the priest, going to the guillotine – the audience seeing the guillotine and the swift execution
and the ending the film?
