''Le Samouraï'' (; ) is a 1967
neo-noir
Neo-noir is a film genre that adapts the visual style and themes of 1940s and 1950s American film noir for contemporary audiences, often with more graphic depictions of violence and sexuality. During the late 1970s and the early 1980s, the term ...
crime thriller film
Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as drama or gangster film, but al ...
written and directed by
Jean-Pierre Melville
Jean-Pierre Grumbach (20 October 1917 – 2 August 1973), known professionally as Jean-Pierre Melville (), was a French filmmaker. Considered a spiritual godfather of the French New Wave, he was one of the first fully-independent French filmmake ...
and starring
Alain Delon
Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (; 8 November 1935 – 18 August 2024) was a French actor, film producer, screenwriter, singer, and businessman. Acknowledged as a cultural and cinematic leading man of the 20th century, Delon emerged as one of ...
,
François Périer,
Nathalie Delon, and
Cathy Rosier. A Franco-Italian production, it depicts the intersecting paths of a professional
hitman
Contract killing (also known as murder-for-hire) is a form of murder or assassination in which one party hires another party to kill a targeted person or people. It involves an illegal agreement which includes some form of compensation, moneta ...
(Delon) trying to find out who hired him for a job and then tried to have him killed, and the Parisian ''
commissaire'' (Périer) trying to catch him.
The film was released on 25 October 1967, and it sold over 1.9 million tickets in France.
It received positive reviews, with particular praise given to Melville's screenwriting and atmospheric direction, and Delon's performance. An English-
dubbed version of the film was released in the U.S. in 1972 as ''The Godson''.
Delon and Melville crystallize a film cited as one of the most influential in history, which will become an essential reference for many filmmakers.
Many
New Hollywood films and critical successes contain explicit references to ''Le Samouraï'' and the character of Jef Costello played by Delon.
Plot
Impassive hitman Jef Costello lives in a spartan single-room Paris apartment and keeps a small bird in a cage as a pet. His methodical
modus operandi
A (often shortened to M.O. or MO) is an individual's habits of working, particularly in the context of business or criminal investigations, but also generally. It is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as .
Term
The term is often used in ...
involves creating airtight alibis, including ones provided by his lover, Jane. After carrying out a contract killing on Martey, a nightclub owner, Jef is very clearly seen leaving the scene by the club's piano player, Valérie, and glimpsed by several other witnesses. The police bring Jef and other suspects in for a lineup, but the witnesses, including Valerie, fail to positively identify him.
Jef is released, but the commissaire suspects him and has him followed. Jef loses the tail and goes to collect his fee for the hit. Instead of paying him, the man he meets tries to kill him, shooting him in the arm. Jef realizes his unknown employers now view him as a liability because he is suspected in Martey's murder. After treating his wound, Jef returns to the nightclub. While he is out, two police officers
bug his room, agitating the bird in its cage.
After the nightclub closes, Jef has Valérie take him to her home, reasoning that she did not identify him as the killer because his employer had told her not to. He asks her who hired him, and she tells him to call her in two hours. Meanwhile, the police search Jane's apartment and offer to leave her alone if she recants her alibi for Jef. She flatly rejects the offer.
Back at his apartment, Jef notices some loose feathers scattered around his bird's cage and suspects it was agitated by an intrusion. He finds the police bug and deactivates it, and then goes to a public phone to call Valérie, but she does not answer. When he returns home, he is ambushed by the man who shot him. Holding Jef at gunpoint, the man offers a fresh start. He pays Jef for the hit on Martey, as well as for an upcoming one. Jef overpowers the man and forces him to disclose the identity of his boss: Olivier Rey.
Dozens of undercover police attempt to tail Jef in the Paris Métro, but he evades them. He visits Jane and assures her everything will work out, then drives to Rey's house, which is the same home Valérie took him to earlier in the film, though she is not there. Jef kills Rey and returns to the nightclub, this time making no attempt to avoid being seen. He checks his hat, but leaves his hat-check ticket on the counter, and puts on white gloves, which he wears when carrying out his hits, in full view of everyone. He approaches the stage where Valérie is performing. She quietly advises him to leave, but he points his gun at her. Strangely unafraid, she asks him why he is doing this, and he responds he was paid to do so. Suddenly, Jef is shot four times by policemen who had been waiting for him. When the Commissaire inspects Jef's gun, however, he discovers it was not loaded.
Cast
*
Alain Delon
Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (; 8 November 1935 – 18 August 2024) was a French actor, film producer, screenwriter, singer, and businessman. Acknowledged as a cultural and cinematic leading man of the 20th century, Delon emerged as one of ...
as Jef Costello
*
François Périer as the
Commissaire
*
Nathalie Delon as Jane Lagrange, Jef and Wiener's girlfriend
*
Cathy Rosier (credited as Caty Rosier) as Valérie, the pianist at Martey's
* Jacques Leroy as "The Man on the Bridge", a hitman working for Rey
*
Michel Boisrond
Michel Jacques Boisrond (9 October 1921 – 10 November 2002) was a French film director and screenwriter. His work spanned five decades, from the 1950s to the 1990s.
Career
A former apprentice of Jean Delannoy, Jean Cocteau, and René Clair
...
as Wiener, Jane's wealthy boyfriend
*
Robert Favart
Marc Robert Favart (9 February 1911 – 26 July 2003) was a French actor, married to Jenny Carré, daughter of Albert Carré.
Filmography Film
*1938 in the movies, 1938: ''The City of Lights'' (by Jean de Limur)
*1939 in the movies, 1939: ...
as the bartender at Martey's, who is a witness at the
lineup
* Jean-Pierre Posier as Olivier Rey, who has Martey killed
*
Catherine Jourdan as the hatcheck girl at Martey's, who is a witness at the lineup
* Roger Fradet as a police inspector who works for the Commissaire
* Carlo Nell as a police inspector who works for the Commissaire
* Robert Rondo as a police inspector who works for the Commissaire
* André Salgues as the man in the garage who gives Jef his contracts
* André Thorent as the policeman disguised as a taxi driver who follows Jef when he is released from custody
* Jacques Deschamps as the policeman at the microphone during the lineup
* Georges Casati as Ange Séraphin Damolini, the first suspect in the lineup
* Jack Léonard as Juan Garcia, the second suspect in the lineup
* Pierre Vaudier as the policeman who
bugs Jef's apartment
* Maurice Magalon as the partner of the policeman who bugs Jef's apartment
* Gaston Meunier as the
head waiter at Martey's, who is a witness at the lineup
* Jean Gold as a customer at Martey's who is a witness at the lineup
* Georges Billy as a customer at Martey's who is a witness at the lineup
* Ari Aricardi as a poker player
* Guy Bonnafoux as a poker player
* Humberto Catalano as a police inspector
* Carl Lechner as a suspect who looks very similar to Jef
* Maria Maneva as "the girl with chewing gum" who follows Jef in the subway
Production
Melville wrote the film for Delon. It was the first film for Delon's wife, Nathalie. He filed for divorce after the film wrapped, but they terminated the divorce proceedings a few days later, though they separated in June 1968 and their divorce became official in February 1969, with Nathalie being granted custody of their son, Anthony.
François Périer, who played the Commissaire, was a comedian cast against type.
Studios Jenner, Melville's private film studio, was destroyed by a fire on June 29, 1967, while ''Le Samouraï'' was in production. Melville, who termed the blaze "suspicious", finished the shoot at another studio.
Alternative ending
In an interview with Rui Nogueira, Melville said he originally filmed Jef Costello meeting his death with a picture-perfect grin, but he modified the scene after discovering Delon had a smiling death scene in another of his films. Production stills of the smiling death exist.
Release and reception
Box office
''Le Samouraï'' was released in France on 25 October 1967. It sold over 1.9 million tickets in France, and over 797,011 tickets in Spain.
First released in theaters in the United States in 1972, it grossed $39,481 from a 1997 re-release.
[
]
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 92% approval rating based on 51 reviews, and an average score of 8.7/10; the site's "critics consensus" reads: "''Le Samouraï'' makes the most of its spare aesthetic, using stylish – and influential – direction, solid performances, and thick atmosphere to weave an absorbing story."
A 1967 review in ''Variety'' called the film "a curious hybrid" that "appears a bit too solemn to inject all the suspense, action and characterization elvilleseeks", and said it "almost seems to be an American film dubbed into French" and "could be cut a bit".
Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby (July 27, 1924 – October 15, 2000) was an American film and theatre critic who was the chief film critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1969 until the early 1990s, then its chief theatre critic from 1994 until his death in 2000. ...
of ''The New York Times'' called the original film "immaculate", but criticized the dubbing of the 1972 version released in the U.S. as ''The Godson'' as "disorienting" and "dreadful".
In a 1997 review of the film that later appeared in his first '' The Great Movies'' collection of essays, Roger Ebert gave the film four out of four stars, writing: "Like a painter or a musician, a filmmaker can suggest complete mastery with just a few strokes. Jean-Pierre Melville involves us in the spell of ''Le Samourai'' (1967) before a word is spoken. He does it with light: a cold light, like dawn on an ugly day. And color: grays and blues. And actions that speak in place of words."
In 2010, the film was ranked No. 39 on ''Empire''s list of "The 100 Best Films of World Cinema".
Writing in ''Le Figaro
() is a French daily morning newspaper founded in 1826. It was named after Figaro, a character in several plays by polymath Pierre Beaumarchais, Beaumarchais (1732–1799): ''Le Barbier de Séville'', ''The Guilty Mother, La Mère coupable'', ...
'' of the Delons' performances after Nathalie's death in 2021, Bertrand Guyard noted that the husband and wife are both nearly silent in the film, but "their gazes, fraught with meaning, are enough to make the camera quiver", and the director was able to create from their portrayals "a mythical couple of the seventh art."
Influence and legacy
Stephen Teo calls ''Le Samouraï'' "possibly the most influential French crime thriller ever made, a mixture of a police procedural (''le film policier'') and a suspenseful action thriller concentrated on a professional hit man, Jef (spelled with one "f") Costello, played by Alain Delon, giving the definitive performance of his career".
The film has influenced numerous other works and directors:
* The German film '' Liebe ist kälter als der Tod'' pays tribute to French cinema masters such as Claude Chabrol
Claude Henri Jean Chabrol (; 24 June 1930 – 12 September 2010) was a French film director and a member of the French New Wave (''nouvelle vague'') group of filmmakers who first came to prominence at the end of the 1950s. Like his colleagues an ...
and Éric Rohmer
Jean Marie Maurice Schérer or Maurice Henri Joseph Schérer, known as Éric Rohmer (; 21 March 192011 January 2010), was a French film director, film critic, journalist, novelist, screenwriter, and teacher. Rohmer was the last of the Post-war, p ...
. Furthermore, the directing style is inspired by Melville's ''Le Samouraï'', while the artwork on the poster resembles the silhouette of Alain Delon in ''Le Samouraï''. The character Bruno (Ulli Lommel
Ulli Lommel (21 December 1944 – 2 December 2017) was a German Film actor, actor and Film director, director, noted for his many collaborations with Rainer Werner Fassbinder and his association with the New German Cinema movement. Lommel spent ...
) is also inspired by the character portrayed by Delon.
* The character of Jef Costello, portrayed by Delon in ''Le Samouraï'' (1967), had a major impact on Fernando Di Leo and his ''Milieu Trilogy'' ('' Caliber 9, The Italian Connection, Il Boss)''.
* Luc Besson
Luc Paul Maurice Besson (; born 18 March 1959) is a French filmmaker. He directed and produced the films '' Subway'' (1985), '' The Big Blue'' (1988), and '' La Femme Nikita'' (1990). Associated with the '' Cinéma du look'' film movement, he h ...
drew inspiration from Jef Costello (played by Delon in ''Le Samouraï'') to create Léon, the titular character embodied by Jean Reno in '' Léon: The Professional''.
* Richard Ayoade
Richard Ayoade ( ; born 23 May 1977) is a British comedian, actor, writer, director and presenter. He played the role of socially awkward IT technician Maurice Moss in Channel 4 sitcom ''The IT Crowd'' (2006–2013), for which he won the 2014 Br ...
cites ''The Samurai'' as a major inspiration for his films. In ''Submarine
A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...
,'' Oliver Tate's character wears the same costume as Delon in ''The Samurai'' and displays a poster of the film in his room, out of admiration for the character he plays. Some scenes in the film are directly inspired by the French classic.
* Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza, in ''Salvo
A salvo is the simultaneous discharge of artillery or firearms including the firing of guns either to hit a target or to perform a salute. As a tactic in warfare, the intent is to cripple an enemy in many blows at once and prevent them from f ...
'', sought to recreate the aura of French film noir. Their choice of Saleh Bakri to play Salvo, a Sicilian hitman, stemmed from this vision: “We wanted a strong physical presence that would dominate the screen with charisma, thinking of Jean-Pierre Melville, French film noir, and actors like Alain Delon.”
* The overall atmosphere, character development, and narrative style of the American film '' The French Connection'' are largely influenced by ''Le Samouraï'' (1967) by Jean-Pierre Melville. William Friedkin
William David Friedkin (; August 29, 1935 – August 7, 2023) was an American film, television and opera director, producer, and screenwriter who was closely identified with the "New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s. Beginning his career in doc ...
also drew inspiration from the character played by Alain Delon—a solitary and methodical hitman—to shape the character of Popeye Doyle (Gene Hackman
Eugene Allen Hackman (January 30, 1930 – ) was an American actor. Hackman made his credited film debut in the drama ''Lilith (film), Lilith'' (1964). He later won two Academy Awards, his first for Academy Award for Best Actor, Best Actor for ...
). Moreover, the subway chase scene in ''The French Connection'' is directly inspired by ''Bullitt
''Bullitt'' is a 1968 American action thriller film directed by Peter Yates from a screenplay by Alan Trustman, Alan R. Trustman and Harry Kleiner and based on the 1963 crime novel ''Mute Witness'' by Robert L. Fish. It stars Steve McQueen, Ro ...
'' and ''Le Samouraï''.
* While Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola ( ; born April 7, 1939) is an American filmmaker. He is considered one of the leading figures of the New Hollywood and one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. List of awards and nominations received by Francis Ford Coppo ...
’s ''The Conversation
''The Conversation'' is a 1974 American neo-noir mystery thriller film written, produced, and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It stars Gene Hackman as a surveillance expert who faces a moral dilemma when his recordings reveal a potential ...
'' is rooted in the paranoia and technological anxieties of the 1970s, its lead character, Harry Caul (Gene Hackman
Eugene Allen Hackman (January 30, 1930 – ) was an American actor. Hackman made his credited film debut in the drama ''Lilith (film), Lilith'' (1964). He later won two Academy Awards, his first for Academy Award for Best Actor, Best Actor for ...
), shares striking similarities with Jef Costello (Alain Delon
Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (; 8 November 1935 – 18 August 2024) was a French actor, film producer, screenwriter, singer, and businessman. Acknowledged as a cultural and cinematic leading man of the 20th century, Delon emerged as one of ...
), the taciturn hitman of ''Le Samouraï''. Like Costello, Harry Caul is a man of meticulous habits, defined more by his actions than his words. Their lives are austere, defined by routine and isolation.
* Through his portrayal of Jef Costello, Alain Delon established the archetype of the "silent and stoic antihero." Ryan O'Neal's character in ''The Driver
''The Driver'' is a 1978 American crime film, crime thriller film written and directed by Walter Hill, and starring Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern and Isabelle Adjani. The film featured only unnamed characters, and follows a getaway driver for robberi ...
'' is almost entirely based on Jef Costello.[.][.] ''The Driver'' is also considered an unofficial adaptation of ''Le Samouraï''.
* Scorsese also noted that Jef Costello, played by Delon in ''Le Samouraï'', served as an inspiration for the creation of Travis Bickle, the protagonist of ''Taxi Driver
''Taxi Driver'' is a 1976 American neo-noir psychological drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. Set in a morally decaying New York City following the Vietnam War, it stars Robert De Niro as veteran Marine and ...
'' (a role that was offered to Alain Delon).
* ''Le Samouraï'' is one of Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino (; born March 27, 1963) is an American filmmaker, actor, and author. Quentin Tarantino filmography, His films are characterized by graphic violence, extended dialogue often featuring much profanity, and references to ...
’s favorite films. The French classic influenced his creation of the world of ''Reservoir Dogs
''Reservoir Dogs'' is a 1992 American crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino in his feature-length directorial debut. It stars Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Chris Penn, Steve Buscemi, Lawrence Tierney, Michael Madsen, Tarant ...
'' and ''Pulp Fiction
''Pulp Fiction'' is a 1994 American independent crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino from a story he conceived with Roger Avary.See, e.g., King (2002), pp. 185–7; ; It tells four intertwining tales of crime and violence ...
''. In this regard, the costume design for ''Reservoir Dogs'' and ''Pulp Fiction'' stemmed from a discussion between Tarantino and costume designer Betsy Heimann about French noir films featuring Alain Delon.
* Michael Mann
Michael Kenneth Mann (born February 5, 1943) is an American film director, screenwriter, author and producer, best known for his stylized crime dramas. He has received a BAFTA Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards as well as nominations for four ...
, for ''Heat
In thermodynamics, heat is energy in transfer between a thermodynamic system and its surroundings by such mechanisms as thermal conduction, electromagnetic radiation, and friction, which are microscopic in nature, involving sub-atomic, ato ...
'' (just like for '' Collateral''), creates the character of Neil McCauley, played by Robert De Niro
Robert Anthony De Niro ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, and film producer. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of List of awards and ...
, drawing inspiration from the minimalist and detached style of Delon in ''Le Samouraï.'' The line "I am alone, not lonely" from McCauley (De Niro in ''Heat'') directly echoes the one from Jeff Costello (Delon in ''Le Samouraï'') : "I never lose, never really".
* '' Ronin''’s narrative structure owes a debt to ''Le Samouraï''. While ''Ronin'' revolves around a heist, its heart lies in the psychological and moral dilemmas of its protagonist. Sam (Robert De Niro
Robert Anthony De Niro ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor, director, and film producer. He is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of List of awards and ...
), like Jef, operates in a world of deception and shifting allegiances, where trust is scarce and survival depends on foresight and adaptability.
* In '' Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai'' by Jim Jarmusch
James Robert Jarmusch ( ; born January 22, 1953) is an American film director, screenwriter and musician.
He has been a major proponent of independent film, independent cinema since the 1980s, directing films such as ''Stranger Than Paradise'' ...
, film’s ending openly pays homage to ''Le Samouraï'', as both Alain Delon and Ghost Dog carry an unloaded firearm in a scenario where they are fully aware of their impending fate.[.][.] Forest Whitaker
Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and activist. His accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Best Actor Award at the ...
also drew inspiration from Delon’s role as Jef Costello in ''Le Samouraï'' for his performance : “''As part of my preparation, I watched this masterpiece with Alain Delon. Thanks to him, I understood the virtue of silence''.”[.][.][.]
* To prepare for his role as Vincent in '' Collateral'', Tom Cruise
Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962) is an American actor and film producer. Regarded as a Cinema of the United States, Hollywood icon, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Tom Cruise, various accolades, includ ...
stated that he “''first watched several films about professional killers, including Le Samouraï by Jean-Pierre Melville with Alain Delon. I was'' om Cruise''deeply fascinated by his solitary and melancholic charisma in carrying out his ruthless business''.”[.] Cruise’s appearance and demeanor in the film strongly recall Jef Costello from ''Le Samouraï''.
* The film by Anton Corbijn
Anton Johannes Gerrit Corbijn van Willenswaard (; born 20 May 1955) is a Dutch photographer, film director, and music video director. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Depeche Mode and U2,Pitman, Joanna"The silent partner" ...
, '' The American'' (inspired by Melville's ''Le Samouraï'') stars George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Known for his leading man roles on screen in both blockbuster and independent films, Clooney has received numerous accolades, including two Ac ...
as an assassin, who resembles Costello.
* In '' Drive'' by Nicolas Winding Refn and ''Baby Driver
''Baby Driver'' is a 2017 action crime film written and directed by Edgar Wright. It stars Ansel Elgort as a getaway driver seeking freedom from a life of crime with his girlfriend Debora (Lily James). Kevin Spacey, Eiza González, Jon Ber ...
'' by Edgar Wright
Edgar Howard Wright (born 18 April 1974) is an English filmmaker. He is known for his fast-paced and kinetic, satirical Film genre, genre films, which feature extensive utilisation of expressive popular music, Steadicam tracking shots, dolly zo ...
, both directors drew inspiration from ''Le Samouraï'', crafting protagonists—played by Ryan Gosling
Ryan Thomas Gosling ( ; born November 12, 1980) is a Canadian actor. His work includes both independent films and major studio features, and his accolades include a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards, a ...
and Ansel Elgort
Ansel Elgort (born March 14, 1994) is an American actor and singer. He began his acting career with a supporting role in the horror film '' Carrie'' (2013). He gained wider recognition for starring as a teenage cancer patient in the romantic d ...
, respectively—who are taciturn yet charismatic getaway drivers, reminiscent of Jef Costello. Ryan Gosling
Ryan Thomas Gosling ( ; born November 12, 1980) is a Canadian actor. His work includes both independent films and major studio features, and his accolades include a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards, a ...
has stated that his acting in ''Drive'' was influenced by Delon’s performance in ''Le Samouraï'' .[.]
* In developing '' The Equalizer'' film franchise, director Antoine Fuqua acknowledged that Delon influenced the character of Robert McCall, a solitary man with strong moral motivations who acts as a vigilante for those unable to defend themselves. Played by Denzel Washington
Denzel Hayes Washington Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is an American actor, producer, and director. Known for his dramatic roles Denzel Washington on screen and stage, on stage and screen, Washington has received List of awards and nominations ...
, Fuqua explained: “''My biggest inspirations were foreign films from the 1970s, really �� And of course, all those Alain Delon films, particularly the French ones, like Le Samouraï (1967), with that kind of slow rhythm and character development as the story unfolds. That’s the kind of film that inspires me''.”
* Chad Stahelski, the director behind the ''John Wick'' franchise, is also a great admirer of Alain Delon and Jean-Pierre Melville. Stahelski drew inspiration from ''Le Cercle Rouge'' and ''Le Samouraï'' when crafting ''John Wick'' : "''The John Wick films are all love letters from Keanu, myself, our stunt team and our creative team to everyone from Wong Kar-wai to Sammo Hung to Sergio Leone, Kurosawa, Alain Delon and "The Samurai", Spielberg, Tarantino... To all those people we loved growing up''."
* In '' The Killer,'' Michael Fassbender and David Fincher
David Andrew Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American film director. Often described as one of the preeminent directors of his generation, David Fincher filmography, his films, of which most are psychological thrillers, have collectiv ...
are inspired by the character played by Alain Delon in Melville's ''The Samurai.''
* Jon Watts
Jonathan Watts (born June 28, 1981) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the Spider-Man in film, ''Spider-Man'' films within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU): ''Spider-Man: Homecoming, Homec ...
(director of the Spider-Man trilogy) cites ''The Samurai'' among his influences, which he considers a model of "lone wolf movies", inspiring the creation of the characters of George Clooney
George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor, filmmaker, and philanthropist. Known for his leading man roles on screen in both blockbuster and independent films, Clooney has received numerous accolades, including two Ac ...
and Brad Pitt
William Bradley Pitt (born December 18, 1963) is an American actor and film producer. In a Brad Pitt filmography, film career spanning more than thirty years, Pitt has received list of awards and nominations received by Brad Pitt, numerous a ...
in '' Wolfs''.
* In the 2024 remake
A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same s ...
of '' The Killer'', John Woo
John Woo Yu-sen ( zh, t= ; born 22 September 1946) is a Hongkongers, Hong Kong film director known as a highly influential figure in the action film genre. The recipient of various accolades, including a Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong Film Award ...
pays explicit tribute to Delon by setting the action in Paris.
* Chow Yun-Fat, in John Woo
John Woo Yu-sen ( zh, t= ; born 22 September 1946) is a Hongkongers, Hong Kong film director known as a highly influential figure in the action film genre. The recipient of various accolades, including a Hong Kong Film Awards, Hong Kong Film Award ...
’s '' The Killer'', does not merely reprise Alain Delon’s role in ''Le Samouraï''; he embodies a character who dreams of being Alain Delon.
* Tony Leung, in his role as the undercover inspector in '' Hard Boiled'', adopts characteristics reminiscent of Delon’s ''Le Samouraï''.[.] His character is even named after Alain Delon—he is called Alan.[.]
* Johnnie To
Johnnie To Kei-fung (born 22 April 1955) is a Hong Kong filmmaker. Popular in his native Hong Kong, To has also found acclaim overseas. Intensely prolific, To has made films in a variety of genres, though in the West he is best known for his H ...
’s films frequently pay homage to Melville’s work, with '' Fulltime Killer'' and '' Vengeance'' serving as notable examples. Although Delon ultimately declined the lead role in ''Vengeance'', To retained the character Francis Costello—his name a direct reference to Jeff Costello from ''Le Samouraï''.
* The protagonist of '' A Bittersweet Life'', named "Jeff" after Costello, is a direct descendant of Jeff Costello, sharing the same traits as the betrayed, solitary assassin.
* In Pang Ho-Cheung’s comedy '' You Shoot, I Shoot'', Eric Kot plays a hitman who idolizes Jeff Costello, dressing like him and even speaking to a ''Le Samouraï'' movie poster in his apartment.
* South Korean actor Jung Woo Sung also drew inspiration from Alain Delon’s performance in ''Le Samouraï'' for his first criminal role in '' Cold Eyes''.
* Adilkhan Yerzhanov's 2020 film '' Yellow Cat'' features a protagonist who quotes and performs scenes from ''Le Samouraï'' throughout the film as a major character trait.
* Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...
's 2012 song " Beautiful Killer" is an homage to Alain Delon and alludes to his role in ''Le Samouraï'' with the lines: "You are a beautiful killer / I like your silhouette when you stand on the streets / Like a samurai you can handle the heat / Makes me wanna pray for a haunted man."
See also
* List of films featuring surveillance
References
Further reading
* Nogueira, Rui (ed.). 1971. ''Melville on Melville''. New York: Viking Press (Cinema One, 16). (hardbound), (paperbound)
* Palmer, Tim. 2006. ''Le Samouraï'' In Phil Powrie (ed.), ''The Cinema of France''. London: Wallflower Press (24 Frames). (hardbound), (paperbound)
* Vincendeau, Ginette. 2003. ''Jean-Pierre Melville : 'an American in Paris. London: British Film Institute. (hardbound), (paperback)
External links
*
''Le Samouraï: Death in White Gloves''
an essay by David Thomson at the Criterion Collection
The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films". A "sister company" of arthouse film distributo ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Samourai, Le
1960s crime thriller films
1967 films
Films about contract killing in France
Films directed by Jean-Pierre Melville
Films set in Paris
Films shot in Paris
French crime thriller films
Italian crime thriller films
French neo-noir films
Films produced by Raymond Borderie
Films scored by François de Roubaix
1960s Italian films
1960s French films