The Informer

Released Mar 2, 1964

1h 48m

Drama

List

96%

Tomatometer

28 Reviews

90%

Audience Score

2,500+ Ratings

Burglar Maurice Faugel has just finished his prison sentence. He murders Gilbert Vanovre, a receiver, and steals the loot from another robbery. As Maurice prepares for another burglary, his friend Silien brings him all the necessary equipment. However, Maurice doesn't know that Silien is a police informant.

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Critics Consensus

Striking cinematography and strong performances make Le Doulos a uniquely cool -- and thoroughly satisfying -- neo-noir.

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Catherine Drake

Times (UK)

Jean-Pierre Melville presents a murky criminal underworld in his gangland classic.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 23, 2017

Full Review

Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

It's a moody, ruminative lowlife crime drama winding up with as many corpses on the floor as Hamlet, and pungent with the sweaty maleness of Melville's tough-guy pictures.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 11, 2017

Full Review

David Jenkins

Little White Lies

Some amazing moments, but something of a drag all told.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 10, 2017

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Joan Didion

Vogue

In its violence and speed and vigour, this absurd jungle of the imagination is more or less bound to photograph well; Melville, however, does a particularly clean job of direction.

Mar 16, 2020

Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

Le Doulos is all about style and trenchcoats and hats, and, while I tend to prefer Melville's later, color films (Le Samourai, Army of Shadows, Le Cercle Rouge, Un Flic), this one is still recommended.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 12, 2019

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Adrian Turner

Radio Times

[A] flawed but fascinating crime thriller ...

Rated: 3/5

Aug 11, 2017

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william d

I read that this movie influenced subsequent masters of the crime genre such as Scorsese and Tarantino. I can see that, many elements of the modern day gangster film are here. However, I didn't find this movie to be all that good. Maybe I've been spoiled by all of director Melville's successors.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Nawt W

Melville once again shows his peculiar fascination with American noir by creating a more baffling story than even "The Big Sleep." It is very lethargic and has a lot of characters. Whatever the intrigue it tries to hold, the plot mostly unravels in the end with a very underwhelming groan. As Belmondo explains how everything was actually playing out behind the scenes, you're just left numb because the revelations are just so disenchanting. We knew Theresa for like two scenes; otherwise, we don't know anything about her, and it looks like some demented justification by Silien as to why he beat the hell out of her. Maurice, the second protagonist, has the murkiest motives I have ever seen. Most of the characters don't really progress, due to that new wave of deadpan acting. Regardless of how underwhelming the story is compared to how much you need to pay attention, one thing you can say for certain is that this movie looks and sounds amazing. The atmosphere, the staging, the shadows, the trench coats. So aesthetically pleasing.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Jean Pierre Melville stuns us again, with a work that encompasses the noir sensibility as completely as anything that he ever made. From the first frames the film brazenly flaunts its cool and defiant attitude, quickly weaving a story that is as unremittingly labyrinthine as any found in the catalogue of film noir. One deliciously baffling development feeds into another, culminating in a climax of that is more imaginative than truly explanatory. It may be noted that I've taken an appreciative attitude towards the thorny characteristics of "Le Doulos" plot; this is owing to its excellence in plunging the viewer into what feels like a disorienting fun house which generates thrills and confusion in the same measure. As usual with Melville, the finely tuned stylistic elements apparent from the outset signifiy that we are in very capable hands, and we are therefore more than willing to submit to the unpredictable ride that we correctly sense is in store for us in "Le Doulos."

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Whilst it may be the film that made Melville's, it just didn't capture me. The pacing is dull and the plot confused my simple mind as I couldn't distinguish the gars gets adequately. Waiting for it to end is never a good sign. Not awful but not particularly interesting.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Cross, double cross, triple cross, quadruple cross; cooler than the other side of your pillow. Filmmaking of the highest caliber with a claustrophobically dynamite script, a classic film noir palate, a jazz soundtrack to die for, unapologetically grim Paris, a staggering amount of raincoats and hats, terrible parking, smoking at every denouement. It is a product of its time and shocks a 2020s sensibility, but you shouldn't let that stop you watching it. No one comes out well in Melville's masterpiece. Maxibon.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/12/23

Full Review

david f

A good crime movie with a neat twist at the end.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Jean-Pierre Melville

Director

Jean-Paul Belmondo

Silien

Serge Reggiani

Maurice Faugel

Fabienne Dali

Fabienne

Monique Hennessy

Therese

Michel Piccoli

Nuttheccio

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92%

85%

Contempt

TRAILER

for Contempt

88%

87%

Pierrot le Fou

88%

92%

Two Women

90%

81%

Judex

80%

79%

Muriel

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Synopsis

Burglar Maurice Faugel has just finished his prison sentence. He murders Gilbert Vanovre, a receiver, and steals the loot from another robbery. As Maurice prepares for another burglary, his friend Silien brings him all the necessary equipment. However, Maurice doesn't know that Silien is a police informant.

Director: Jean-Pierre Melville
Screenwriter: Jean-Pierre Melville, Pierre Lesou
Distributor: Pathé Films
Production Co: Compagnia Cinematografica Champion, Rome Paris Films
Genre: Drama
Original Language: French (Canada)
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 2, 1964, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 3, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA): $82.8K
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.66:1)

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