Le deuxième souffle
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Le deuxième souffle |
| Country of production | France |
| original language | French |
| Publishing year | 2007 |
| length | 155 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Alain Corneau |
| script | Alain Corneau |
| production |
Laurent Pétin Michèle Pétin |
| music | Bruno Coulais |
| camera | Yves Angelo |
| cut | Marie-Josèphe Yoyotte |
| occupation | |
| |
Le deuxième souffle is a French crime film by Alain Corneau from 2007. It is based on the novel Un reglement de comptes by José Giovanni , which was filmed in 1966 under the title The Second Breath .
action
Paris in the 1960s: Gustave Minda, known as Gu, manages to escape from prison after ten years in prison. Shortly after his friend, the nightclub owner Manouche, found out about it, her bar was stormed by three thugs from nightclub owner Jo Ricci. They open fire and kill Manouche's friend Jacques. During the interrogation, however, Commissioner Blot is not very surprised that none of those present can provide more detailed information about the perpetrator. Manouche is silent, but also her confidante Alban, who works as a waiter. A little later, two of the three criminals visit Manouche and threaten her. It is Gu who rushes to her aid and can overpower the two men. After they have named Jo as the client, Gu drives them to Jo's villa and kills them on the way. Blot suspects that Gu is behind the crime, as he killed a man in the same way 15 years ago.
Gu has realized that the world of crime is different than it was ten years ago. He wants to get out of France and settle in Italy. Manouche organizes his escape via Marseille , where her brother Théo Gu will get false papers and also carry out the crossing to Italy. The third of Jos gang dies from gunshot wounds inflicted by Alban. This poses a problem for the gang around Jo's brother Venture, should he be part of a planned big coup that is to take place not far from Marseille. Venture turns to the crook Orloff, who is known to be a loner. He promises to decide for or against the coup within a week. Orloff is also the one who is supposed to get Gu through Théo. He lets Gu inquire through Théo whether he is interested in a larger sum of millions. Gu, who is broke and doesn't want to accept any money from Manouche, agrees. Orloff vouches for him in order to convince Venture and especially his colleagues Pascal and the impetuous Antoine. The attack on the gold transporter, in which Gu has to shoot one of two policemen according to plan, succeeds. The booty is shared fairly. Blot, on the other hand, remains on Gu's heels because he used the same weapon in the coup as in the killing of the two henchmen Jos. He realizes that Gu either has nothing to lose or is extremely confident. Nevertheless, he can arrest Gu shortly afterwards: He has put together a fictional gang that takes Gu into the mangle, because the coup was actually planned with another group, so the booty should originally go through two. Gu promises Venture never made this conscious - he gave the name of an accomplice. Blot appears and tells Gu that the entire conversation has been recorded. Venture is arrested and tortured by the gross detective Fardiano. At the same time Fardiano spreads that Gu is betraying more and more members of the gang. Gu injured himself and was taken to a hospital, where he managed to escape with the help of two other inmates. Orloff, in turn, has to answer Jo for Gu: he promises to kill him if he actually betrayed Venture.
Gu wants to restore his honor and get Venture out of prison. He kidnaps Fardiano and forces him not only to absolve him in writing of the guilt of treason, but also to confess his interrogation methods and the forced confessions he made through torture in a letter to the Minister of Justice. Then he shoots him. Orloff, in turn, organizes a meeting with Jo, Pascal and Antoine, at which he wants to give them the confessions of Fardiano. Gu knocks down Orloff and leaves in his place. After all three agree to believe him in the face of Fardiano's confession, Gu kills all three men. He is shot in the legs by Antoine and can no longer escape. He awaits the police under the direction of Blot and dies shortly afterwards in a hail of bullets. His last word is "Manouche". Blot takes Fardiano's confession and drops it outside the house. He points out to a journalist that he has "lost" something and the journalist takes the magazine. Blot sends Manouche, who rushed to the scene, away. She goes to Orloff, who is waiting for her in a car. She will start a new life with him.
production
Le deuxième souffle was filmed in Paris and Marseille. Corinne Jorry created the costumes, Thierry Flamand designed the film . The budget was around 23.6 million euros.
The film premiered on September 8, 2007 at the Toronto International Film Festival . On October 24, 2007 it was shown in French cinemas, where it was seen by 363,324 visitors. In Germany it has not yet been shown (as of December 2013). In 2008 the film was released on DVD in France.
Awards
Alain Corneau was nominated for a Marc'Aurelio d'Oro at the Festival internazionale del film di Roma in 2007.
The film received three César nominations in 2008 : in the categories of Best Cinematography (Yves Angelo), Best Production Design (Thierry Flamand) and Best Costumes (Corinne Jorry). In 2008 Bruno Coulais received a nomination for an Étoile d'Or for best film music.
Web links
- Le deuxième souffle in the Internet Movie Database (English)