The Burglars
| Le Casse | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Henri Verneuil |
| Written by | Henri Verneuil Vahé Katcha |
| Produced by | Henri Verneuil |
| Starring | Jean-Paul Belmondo Omar Sharif Robert Hossein Dyan Cannon |
| Cinematography | Claude Renoir |
| Edited by | Pierre Gillette |
| Music by | Ennio Morricone |
Production companies | Columbia Films Vides Cinematografica |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures (USA) |
Release dates | 27 October 1971 (France) 14 June 1972 (USA) |
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | France / Italy |
| Language | French / English |
| Budget | 15 million frances[1] |
| Box office | 4,410,120 admissions (France)[1] |
Le Casse (US title: The Burglars) is a 1971 movie directed by French director Henri Verneuil, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, Omar Sharif, Dyan Cannon and Robert Hossein. It is based on the 1953 novel by David Goodis and revolves around a team of four burglars chased by a corrupt cop in Athens. It's a remake of the 1957 film The Burglar with Jayne Mansfield.
The movie is known for its spectacular car chase and Belmondo's incredible fall from a construction truck down a steep, rocky hillside. The movie was shot twice, once in French and once in English, by the same cast.
Plot
In Athens, Azad (Jean-Paul Belmondo), Ralf (Robert Hossein) and 2 other accomplices, Renzu and Helen, rob a suitcase of emeralds from a rich Greek citizen, M.Tasco, when the latter is away on vacation.
The thieves break into the house, crack the safe, and make off with the jewels. A police detective, Zacharias (Omar Sharif), spots the burglars’ car in front of the house. Azad chats with the detective and spins a cover story of being a salesman with engine trouble. Zacharias leaves and Azad thinks he has gotten away with it.
The thieves plan to leave the country immediately on a merchant ship. However when they arrive at the dock they discover the ship is undergoing repairs and will not be ready for five days. They stash the money, split up, and agree to wait out the delay.
Zacharias reappears, having decided to find and keep the emeralds himself. Azard falls in love with Leda.
Mr Tasco identifies the thieves and kills Renzi, framing Ralf.
Azad narrowly escapes the police with Lena, but he soon discovers that she is in cahoots with Zacharia.
Ralph is arrested by police.
Azad and Zacharia have a confrontation which results in Zacharia being buried under wheat.
Cast
- Jean-Paul Belmondo as Azad
- Omar Sharif as Abel Zacharia
- Robert Hossein as Ralph
- Dyan Cannon as Lena
- Renato Salvatori as Renzi
- Nicole Calfan as Helene
- José-Luis de Villalonga as Tasco
- Myriam Colombi as Madame Tasco
- Marc Arian as Restaurant Owner
- Daniel Verite as Playboy
Production
The Burglar by David Goodis had been published in 1953 and filmed in 1956. Goodis was popular with French filmmakers; his novel Down There had been adapted by Francois Truffaut as Shoot the Piano Player (1961).
Filming took place in Athens and Paris.[1]
Reception
The film was a massive box office hit in France, being the sixth most popular movie of the year.[2][1]
The Los Angeles Times said "the scenery is lovely, Belmondo is fun to watch even in a flat, silly part like this" but that it was "finally an uninteresting and uninvolving movie" because "it has no reality except as a movie".[3]
The New York Times called it "yet another international caper film... that does nothing very well and almost everything in excess" in which the director would "fill up a great deal of film time with a device rather than with an action".[4]
References
- ^ a b c d "Box office information for Le Casse". Box Office Story. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
- ^ "Box Office Films of 1971". Box Office Story. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
- ^ Champlin, Charles (27 July 1972). "MOVIE REVIEW: Sharif, Belmondo in Stalker". Los Angeles Times. p. g28.
- ^ Greenspun, Roger (15 June 1972). "The Burglars". New York Times. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
External links
- Le Casse at IMDb
- Tbe Burglas at Le Film Guide
- The Burglars at AllMovie
- Le Casse at filmsdefrance.com
- Template:Bfidb title
- Review of film at Cinema Retro
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- 1970s action films
- 1970s crime films
- 1971 films
- Chase films
- Film scores by Ennio Morricone
- Films directed by Henri Verneuil
- Films set in Athens
- Films shot in Greece
- French action films
- French crime films
- French films
- Heist films
- Italian films
- French remakes of American films
- Columbia Pictures films
- Films based on American novels
- 1970s French film stubs
- 1970s crime film stubs