The Red Circle

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The Red Circle

1970

2h 25m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

67 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

When French criminal Corey (Alain Delon) gets released from prison, he resolves to never return. He is quickly pulled back into the underworld, however, after a chance encounter with escaped murderer Vogel (Gian Maria Volonte). Along with former policeman and current alcoholic Jansen (Yves Montand), they plot an intricate jewel heist. All the while, quirky Police Commissioner Mattei (Bourvil), who was the one to lose custody of Vogel, is determined to find him.

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Critics Consensus

Melville is at the top of his game, giving us his next-to-last entry into the world of deception, crime, and extreme suspense that made him a maestro of the French heist genre.

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Derek Malcolm

Guardian

Once again, Melville and his cinematographer, Henri Decae, have achieved something that's very nice to look at and also tightly enough constructed to follow with interest throughout. There is, in particular, a superb jewel robbery sequence.

Oct 24, 2023

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Richard Brody

The New Yorker

Grimly elegant...

Jun 21, 2021

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David Parkinson

Empire Magazine

A classic cornerstone of the heist genre from a master of the nouvelle vague.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 30, 2006

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Arthur Thirkell

Daily Mirror (UK)

This entertaining French-made film has no frills, but plenty of thrills.

Oct 24, 2023

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George Melly

Observer (UK)

There's a lot of happenstance, but it's tautly directed, and the individual crooks and cops, while fond of Gallic platitudes, are well observed.

Oct 24, 2023

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Madeleine Harmsworth

Sunday Mirror (UK)

French thriller, full of holes, with a reasonably ingenious robbery sequence halfway through.

Oct 24, 2023

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Gabriel KP. B

Qué gran película. Me encanta el montaje. La sensación de angustia persiste a lo largo de la historia; creo que los personajes tuvieron una suerte excepcional ¡Qué obra maestra! Técnica limpia y eterna. Una película cautivadora que deja una huella imborrable desde el primer momento. Fácil de ver e interpretar con una premisa muy solida y bien desarrollada. Pongo énfasis en la actuación y la dirección; el silencio siempre jugará un papel importante en mis historias favoritas, la acción. Recursos efectivos que se adaptan a todos los contextos de cada escena, así como la construcción de cada personaje, es fantástico. Lo que no vemos y no sabemos es un recurso que esta película explota muchísimo, convirtiéndola en una experiencia bastante única. No es lo único que diré de esta película.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/25/25

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Stephen C

Success in 2 hours and 25 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love crime drama movies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In French (France) and English versions with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/09/25

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bob c

Very good French gangster heist movie that has aged very well.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

04/01/25

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Audience Member

Maxi-cool French crime drama, drawn out quietly by Melville, aided by quintessential performances by Delon, Bourvil and Montand. The trench coats, the cigarettes, the jazz, c'est typique; the 40 minute silent robbery, quite something else. A Buddhist inspired, American western tribute piece set in a very masculine France. There are many essays on what it means: chance, fate, life - a little impenetrable but an essential watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

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Audience Member

A well made noire in colour. Mission d'impossible is pulled off by Melville's usual cool customer criminals before the inevitable head's up with the police. Decent film, particularly the crime scene which is full of tension.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

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david f

I loved the stripped down style, the tons of atmosphere, and the long, slow, silent jewelry robbery near the end. This is a stylish, fatalistic thriller made by a master.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Jean-Pierre Melville

Director

Yves Montand

Jansen

Alain Delon

Corey

Bourvil

Le Commissaire Mattei

Gian Maria Volonté

Vogel

Paul Crauchet

Le Receleur

Performance

81%

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Synopsis

When French criminal Corey (Alain Delon) gets released from prison, he resolves to never return. He is quickly pulled back into the underworld, however, after a chance encounter with escaped murderer Vogel (Gian Maria Volonte). Along with former policeman and current alcoholic Jansen (Yves Montand), they plot an intricate jewel heist. All the while, quirky Police Commissioner Mattei (Bourvil), who was the one to lose custody of Vogel, is determined to find him.

Director: Jean-Pierre Melville
Screenwriter: Jean-Pierre Melville
Distributor: Rialto Pictures
Production Co: Selenia Cinematografica, Les Films Corona
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 2, 1970, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Jan 10, 2003
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $58.1K
Runtime: 2h 25m
Sound Mix: Mono

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