LE GANG

France, 1977, 100 minutes, Colour.
Alain Delon, Xavier Depraz, Roland Bertin, Adalberto Maria Merli, Maurice Barrier, Raymond Bussieres, Giampiero Albertini, Laura Betti, Nicole Calfan.
Directed by Jacques Deray.

Le Gang is one of a number of crime films directed by Jacques Deray, often with Alain Delon (like Borsalino The Swimming Pool). This seems to be rather a minor effort.

The setting is France at the end of World War II, Paris becoming a settled city, and with its share of gangsters, especially a group who are called the Gang, led by Alain Delon (with a rather strange frizzy and curly set of hair), with his usual charm and perhaps a smirk, who commit a number of brazen robberies. Their getaway is in a frontwheel drive car which gives them the name of the Front Wheel Gang.

The film was told from the point of view of Delon’s girlfriend, a checkout girl in the cloakroom of the club which the gang holds up.

While there is some romance, the main point of the film is the presentation of the criminals, a diverse set of characters, their interactions, and the robberies themselves and the aftermath.

1. The title? The true story? The nickname? The characters?

2. France, post-war, 1945, the atmosphere, costumes and decor, the cars, weapons? The Italianate musical score?

3. The importance of action, stunt work, the robberies, the banks, the institutions, the offices (and the return), the hold-up in the nightclub after the brawl with the American sailors?

4. The introduction to the Gang, names and actors on the screen, Jo, the assorted criminals, men, age, characteristics, interactions, war experiences, the robberies, timing?

5. Robert, and Alain Delon character, the unusual hair, his smile and smirk, his leadership, organisation, with the members of the gang, the operations, his determination to return to ensure a successful robbery, the overall success, the media, front-wheel drive, the name, the reputation?

6. The club, the brawl, the standover tactics, Robert and his leadership, the exit, Marinette at the cloakroom, Robert throwing her the rose, waiting for her, giving her the lift, her going home, the affair and the atmosphere of the honeymoon, her following him?

7. The narrative from her point of view?

8. The blend of action, criminal characters, charismatic leadership, romance, crime, car action?

9. The work of the director – and his better films?