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Flic Story
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Wikipedia article
'Flic Story' is a French crime thriller released on October 1, 1975, based on the autobiography of the same name written by French police detective Roger Borniche. Both film and book portray Borniche's nine-year pursuit of French gangster and murderer Emile Buisson, who was executed on February 28, 1956.Hayward p. 279 Directed by Jacques Deray, the film stars Alain Delon and Jean-Louis Trintignant as Borniche and Buisson respectively, supported by Claudine AugerLisanti p. 48 and Andr Pousse.
Plot
'Flic Story' follows a nine-year pursuit of Emile Buisson through France during the 1940s and 1950s, and illustrates the pursuit as a battle of intellect, focusing on a growing rapport between Buisson and the protagonist Borniche. Deray's humanizing of the characters was a trait used in his other films, and was a popular counter-clich concept in France during the 1970s.
The film story depicts Emile Buisson, following the death of his wife and child, escaping from a psychiatric institution in 1947 and returning to Paris. Buisson, who three years later would become France's public enemy number one, begins a murderous rampage through the French capital. The opening scene shows reluctant detective ('flic' is the French slang equivalent of "cop" in English) Borniche, who is given the case and pursues Buisson for three years,[http://www.filmspot.com/movie/360067/flic-story/index.html Flic Story] at [http://www.filmspot.com FilmSpot] retrieved July 30, 2007 while the latter evades capture by killing informants and anyone else he feels may give him away. Borniche, who unlike his colleagues, prides himself in a methodical approach, hunts Buisson through numerous alleyway chases, rooftop pursuits, car chases and gunfights, while putting his lover Catherine (Auger) in danger.[http://filmsdefrance.com/FDF_Flic_Story_rev.html Flic Story] at [http://filmsdefrance.com/ Films de France] retrieved July 30, 2007
When bureaucracy intervenes with Borniche's attempts, and politicians and the media begin speculating, he uses the assistance of another criminal, Paul Robier (Crauchet) to apprehend Buisson. The serial killer is finally captured after having committed over 30 murders and 100 robberies.[http://uk.rottentomatoes.com/m/flic_story/about.php Flic Story synopsis] at Rotten Tomatoes retrieved July 30, 2007 The final sequences sees Buisson telling Borniche that he would like to "take a hacksaw" to the throat of his informer, prompting a critically lauded line from Borniche that he would not get the chance.
Cast
* Alain Delon - Roger Borniche
* Jean-Louis Trintignant - Emile Buisson
* Renato Salvatori - Mario Poncini
* Claudine Auger - Catherine (prototype - Martine Borniche, who in reality was not a girlfriend, but the wife of Roger Borniche)
* Maurice Biraud - The patrol of the Saint-Appoline hotel
* Andr Pousse - Jean-Baptiste Buisson
* Mario David - Raymond Pelletier
* Paul Crauchet - Paul Robier
* Denis Manuel - Lucien Darros
* Marco Perrin - Commissioner Viechens (his prototype is Commissioner Charles Chenevier, who was the chief of Roger Borniche)
* Henri Guybet - Hidoine
* Maurice Barrier - Rene Bollec
* Franoise Dorner - Suzanne Bollec
* William Sabatier - Ange
* Adolfo Lastretti - Jeannot
Production
Writers Bndicte Kermadec and Alphonse Boudard worked with Deray on Roger Borniche's memoir in order to create the script. The film was produced by Delon, featuring cinematography by Jean-Jacques Tarbs and an original score by Claude Bolling.Cannon p. 104 The film was shot and printed on 35 mm negative using spherical cinematographic processes, as was common with films produced through the 1950s to the early 1990s.[https://www.imdb.com/SearchTechnical?PCS:Spherical Films using PCS:Spherical] Internet Movie Database retrieved July 30, 2007 Production began on February 3, 1975, 18 years after Boisson's execution, and the film was shot on locations in both France and Italy.[http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/209700 Flic Story] at the British Film Institute retrieved July 30, 2007
Foreign releases
'Flic Story' was released through 1975 to 1977 in the United States as 'Cop Story', Finland as 'Passi ruumishuoneelle' and West Germany as 'Der Bulle und der Killer' or 'Flic Story - Duell in sechs Runden'. The film rated '16' in Finland, Norway and West Germany, the latter downgraded it to '12' following the reunification.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072996/ Flic Story] at the Internet Movie Database retrieved July 30, 2007Reception
'Flic Story' received mainly positive reviews from critics. James Travers of 'Film de France' praised the film for a "quality feel and sombre mood" and the lead actors for "humanity and depth". Travers also noted several similarities to the films of Jean-Pierre Melville, particularly 'Le Samourai'. Travers names the film as one of Deray's best, although the "end result isnt quite a masterpiece". Other internet reviews noted similarities with Melville, and complimented the film for "unsentimental verve, intelligent pacing and refreshing honesty".
Susan Hayward, author of 'French National Cinema', also complimented the film, saying it departed from mainstream style. She gave particular praise on the differences between 'Flic Story' and American films of the same genre, by the way Deray focuses on the intellects rather than the brawn of the two leading characters, as well as the understanding that grows between the two during "months of interrogation".
Gary Giddins, printing his review from the August 16, 2005 issue of 'The New York Sun', praised the film as "the most interesting and resonant" of Deray's work, and gave particular credit to Trintignant's "hair-trigger" performance. He also complimented the detail in the secondary characters, and said it was honest in its support for the death penalty. Giddins also, however, criticised the film's pacing.Giddins p. 196
Notes
References
* Cannon, Steve 'Popular Music in France from Chanson to Techno: Culture, Identity and Society', 2003
* Giddins, Gary 'Natural Selection: Gary Giddins on Comedy, Film, Music, and Books', 2006
* Hayward, Susan 'French National Cinema', 2005
* Lisanti, Tom 'Film Fatales: Women in Espionage Films and Television, 1962-1973', 2002
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