After professional hitman Jef Costello is seen by witnesses his efforts to provide himself an alibi drive him further into a corner.After professional hitman Jef Costello is seen by witnesses his efforts to provide himself an alibi drive him further into a corner.After professional hitman Jef Costello is seen by witnesses his efforts to provide himself an alibi drive him further into a corner.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Cathy Rosier
- La pianiste
- (as Caty Rosier)
Jacques Léonard
- Garcia
- (as Jack Léonard)
- Director
- Writers
- Jean-Pierre Melville
- Joan McLeod(uncredited)
- Georges Pellegrin
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWhen Jean-Pierre Melville brought a copy of the script to Alain Delon, Delon asked him what the title was. When he was told the title was "Le samouraï", Delon had Melville follow him to his bedroom, where there was only a leather couch and a samurai blade hanging on the wall. Melville had written the screenplay with Delon expressly in mind for the lead.
- GoofsThe streets change from bone dry to soaking wet and raining when Jef flees from the female undercover cop in the Paris Metro.
- Quotes
[hitman enters the room of the bar owner]
Martey, Nightclub Owner: Who are you?
Jeff Costello: Doesn't matter.
Martey, Nightclub Owner: What do you want?
Jeff Costello: To kill you.
[shoots him]
- Crazy creditsThe movie's Opening Credits include an epigraph: " "There is no solitude greater than a samurai's, unless perhaps it is that of a tiger in the jungle." - The Book of Bushido."
- Alternate versionsThe West German theatrical version was cut by approximately eight minutes.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Zomergasten: Episode #10.3 (1997)
- SoundtracksLe Samouraï
Written and Performed by François de Roubaix Et Orchestre
Featured review
Cold
Some nice noir elements to this spare drama, and Alain Delon is pretty stylish in his trenchcoat and fedora, but it was a little too sleepy and methodical for me to truly love it. The cold style in the cinematography reminded me of Edward Hopper, and to a point, I liked how the characters expressed themselves ever so subtly with their eyes, the most interesting of whom was Cathy Rosier (the pianist), maybe because she breathed a hint of some warmth. I have to say though, the only thing samurai about the film was its title, and it's telling that even the quote from the Bushido at the beginning is fake.
helpful•176
- gbill-74877
- Sep 9, 2019
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Le Samurai
- Filming locations
- 11 Boulevard de l'Amiral Bruix, Paris 16, Paris, France(Jane's apartment)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $82,157
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $14,899
- Mar 31, 2024
- Gross worldwide
- $82,157
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content