A discredited police inspector is given a second chance, in the form of a dangerous assignment. Chosen because of his uncanny resemblance to a Lt. Revere, the inspector impersonates him in order to penetrate a group of mercenaries with orders to assassinate its leader.
Acting
Ronet's subtle split: inspector vs. mercenary commander.
Direction
Gantillon's lean, cynical staging of betrayal.
Cinematography
Gritty 70s Marseille locations, all concrete and suspicion.
Director
Bruno Gantillon
Maurice Ronet
Raoul Maury
Bruno Cremer
L'ex-sergent Donetti
Mario Adorf
L'ex-commandant Pierre Capra
Anny Duperey
Cora
Georges Staquet
Un flic
Michel Bertay
L'avocat
Marc Mazza
Bastien, le bras droit de Capra
Jacques Monod
Le député
Marina Malfatti
Isabelle Maury
Giacomo Furia
Le commissaire
Renato Romano
Inspecteur principal Gérard Louvel
Jean Luisi
Un flic
Solange Pradel
Christine, la prostituée
Guido Alberti
(uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Maurice Ronet was Ophüls' favorite leading man; this was his rare foray into pure genre pulp.
Released amid France's post-1968 police distrust and real-life mercenary scandals in Africa, the film's cynicism landed differently than standard noir.
FR
