Good gangster revenge film, with the likes of Serge Reggianni, André Pousse and Marcel Bozuffi, the two heavies of French move industry; only Michel Constantin is missing. It is tense, violent, rough and pretty well made and played. Roger Pigaut gives here is best movie as director. It is not a comedy, as was TROIS MILLIARDS SANS ASCENSEUR for instance. Serge Reggianni is impressive as the revengeful gangster. Charles Vanel has only a supporting character, so has Simone Signoret. You won't be deceived by this crime film, taut, dark, brutal, very in fashion of the early seventies, far better than what it could have been eight or ten years later. Michel Bouquet, after his nearly similar role in UN CONDE, plays a revengeful cop. Jean Desailly, after L'ARDOISE, plays another supporting character in a revengeful rampage, bloody odyssey scheme. In L'ARDOISE, he was also accused to have denounced the hero to the police, remember? Nearly exactly the same role here !!! Concerning Bob Asklof, the hired killer, he tortured here Charles Vanel ; and he also tortured Annie Cordy in LE MATAF, two years later. Vanel and Signoret are the most moving characters of this feature, unusual and endearing. I also crave for the hired killer, the angel face gunman , ruthless, cruel, who however likes kids show with puppets, and cats. As Alain Delon in SCORPIO.
Review of Countdown to Vengeance
