Format: Streaming video from Hulu+ (Bob le Flambeur) and DVD from NetFlix (Le Samourai) on laptop.
It’s pretty evident not too far into Bob le Flambeur (Bob the Gambler) that Jean-Pierre Melville loved American noir even before the term had been created. This film, while not properly a noir, has a lot of the elements of the style. It’s almost an homage to the American crime films of the ‘40s rather than a straight duplication of the style.
Bob Montagne (Roger Duchesne) is a well-liked, moderately wealthy, somewhat decadent ex-con living in the Montmartre area of Paris. We learn quickly that he did time for a bank job that went south, but that most people assume that he’s learned his lesson. His time is taken up by his love of gambling. He has a passion for cards and harness racing. As happens with gamblers, Bob goes through an extended losing streak, blowing most of his money on bad bets, leaving him not quite desperate but far from comfortable.
