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
Melville's masterpiece is pure seduction...
This film starts off with the same sound like Sergio Leone's 'C'era un volta il west', but it's just that here the sound is made not by a plate, but a canary, the cold-blooded killer's canary.
This film was made in 1967, the French nouveau vague already apparent all over the place, but with much more subtle undertones than, say, a work by Truffaut.
No, Melville's films were old-school, but at the same time revolutionary, in a delicate way. Take for example the 'chase' scene through the Metro. Practically nothing happens: there are no gunfights, no combat sequences, perhaps just a small chase. But it is Melville's camera and Delon's inimitable performance that keep the audience mesmerized all the way.
The camera practically flirts with the audience throughout the whole movie, picking the most interesting angles and achieving so much practically without any effort. Delon's character changes his expression only once or twice during the movie, shoots faster than even Leone's gunslingers and never forgets to feed his canary. To me, one of the most accomplished antiheroes of the whole genre.
The dialogue is barely there, but when it is, then it's something you'd probably wish you would have come up with yourself. It is a minimalist work that achieves the absolute maximum. Simply put: one of the best crime noirs ever made.
This film was made in 1967, the French nouveau vague already apparent all over the place, but with much more subtle undertones than, say, a work by Truffaut.
No, Melville's films were old-school, but at the same time revolutionary, in a delicate way. Take for example the 'chase' scene through the Metro. Practically nothing happens: there are no gunfights, no combat sequences, perhaps just a small chase. But it is Melville's camera and Delon's inimitable performance that keep the audience mesmerized all the way.
The camera practically flirts with the audience throughout the whole movie, picking the most interesting angles and achieving so much practically without any effort. Delon's character changes his expression only once or twice during the movie, shoots faster than even Leone's gunslingers and never forgets to feed his canary. To me, one of the most accomplished antiheroes of the whole genre.
The dialogue is barely there, but when it is, then it's something you'd probably wish you would have come up with yourself. It is a minimalist work that achieves the absolute maximum. Simply put: one of the best crime noirs ever made.
helpful•13937
- i-grigoriev
- Oct 24, 2004
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
- $134,753
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $14,899
- Mar 31, 2024
- Gross worldwide
- $134,753
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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