Borsalino

Fantastic gangster flick. It’s masculine, fair, and truly unique for its time. Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon start off by knocking each other out, only to become the best of partners. Bebel’s playful charm almost makes it feel like a gangster comedy at times, but it quickly pulls you back with its darkness and melancholy. Borsalino is an exquisite piece — vintage and thematic. It almost begs the question: were the gangs of 1930s Marseille worse than the current ones? Either way, the city has been through a lot, and living there must be a dream. (24.07.2023)

This is a film that lives off its reputation. I like Deray, but cannot put Borsalino on display, despite the film having high ratings given the nostalgia and the presence of big movie stars. It's not just a matter of Deray's inexperience, but likely also his great ambitions. The film simply doesn't work and it's inconsistent. It is very evident that Deray tried to make a crime comedy, but the humor doesn't appeal, at least to me. Borsalino is strangely positioned between genres and it is possible to consider it as a prime example of when the chemistry between the main actors doesn't work. It's as if Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon were filming completely different movies. The contrast between their acting styles, which could have been potentially interesting, instead ends up sinking Borsalino. One star is for the cast, one for the backdrop of Marseille in the 1930s, and everything else is bad. The sequel Borsalino and Co. is also not a stellar piece, but genre-wise it is much cleaner. Overall impression: 45%. (18.10.2015)