Razzia sur la chnouf [Razzia] [Raid on the Drug Ring] **** (1955, Jean Gabin, Lino Ventura, Magali Noël, Lila Kedrova) –

Director Henri Decoin’s 1955 French gangster film Razzia sur la chnouf (French for Raid on the Dope) stars Jean Gabin, Lino Ventura, Magali Noël and Lila Kedrova. The screenplay, based on a novel by Auguste Le Breton, exposes the Paris drug scene and police work to stop it.

Jean Gabin stars as master criminal Henri ‘le Nantais’, who returns to Paris from the US and is recruited by narcotics ring boss Paul Liski (Marcel Dalio) to improve efficiency of drug distribution and eliminate unreliable dealers with the help of hit men Catalan (Lino Ventura) and Bibi (Albert Rémy). As his cover, Liski makes him manager of Le Troquet, a restaurant patronised by the underworld. Henri soon catches the eye of the young cashier Lisette (Magali Noël).

Razzia sur la chnouf (1955, Jean Gabin).

Razzia sur la chnouf is convincing tough gangster stuff, with fragrant location views of Paris mixed with artistic studio sets that combine for a both realist and artistic effect. It is gangster film poetic realism in an exciting trip to the underworld. The detailed exposé of the Paris drug scene and the police work were pioneering at the time, and incredibly still seem fresh and fascinating. The acting is spot on, though it is almost entirely Gabin’s show, and his minimalist acting is a tour-de-force, subtly and revealingly telling everything needed to know about his character at any moment in the film.

Gabin was a great screen actor in the Bogart manner, and he has settled into his stride and métier here. It is 1955, and he was 51, but he looks old, but then he always looked old. He does world-weary perfectly. At any rate, he does look too old for his love interest Magali Noël, whose character is only 24. However, it works in terms of the story.

Director Henri Decoin handles it all very nicely, pacing it ideally, attending to suspense and action crackingly, in a most impressive looking movie with some eye-catching shots by cinematographer Pierre Montazel. Slight downsides might be Lila Kedrova’s wild acting as addict Léa and the let-down ending. Neither are bad, just a very slight disappointment, given the extremely high level of the story, dialogue and realisation. As it is 1955, there are some surprises in the ‘adult’ content, with minorities portrayed, and a perceptible whiff of sex and violence.

It was released as Razzia in the US, or Raid on the Drug Ring.

it is Gabin’s follow-up to Touchez pas au grisbi [Don’t Touch the Loot], his comeback triumph, which also featured Paul Frankeur and Lino Ventura in his film debut.

The cast are Jean Gabin as Henri ‘le Nantais’ Ferre, Magali Noël as the cashier Lisette, Lino Ventura as hitman Roger ‘le Catalan’, Albert Rémy as hitman Bibi, Paul Frankeur as Police Commissioner Fernand, Pierre-Louis as Inspector LeRoux, Marcel Dalio as drug ring boss Paul Liski, Roland Armontel as drug processor Louis Birot, Jacqueline Porel as his wife Solange Birot, Michel Jourdan as pusher Marcel, Jo Peignot as Manager of the Pushers, Andre Weber as pusher Li Chiang, Lila Kedrova as addict Léa, Josselin as pusher Fredo, Leopoldo Frances as speakeasy operator-pusher Assumpcion, and Auguste le Breton as gangster Auguste ‘le Breton’.

© Derek Winnert 2022 Classic Movie Review 12,288

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