ALAIN CORNEAU

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BBB. 

Original title:  Le Choix Des Armes

France, 1981.  France 2, Parafrance Films, Sara Films.  Screenplay by Alain Corneau, Michel Grisolia.  Cinematography by Pierre-William Glenn.  Produced by Alain Sarde.  Music by Philippe Sarde.  Production Design by Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko.  Costume Design by Jean-Pierre Kohut-Svelko.  Film Editing by Thierry Derocles.

Stylish thriller about two convicts who escape from prison and kill two cops in their attempt to outrun the law. The elder of the two, critically wounded in the process, tells his hotheaded companion (Gerard Depardieu) to take him to the mansion of a retired gangster (Yves Montand).  Montand now lives peacefully, running an equestrian ranch with his beautiful wife (Catherine Deneuve), but Depardieu’s appearance on the scene takes the couple’s life from placid to full-throttle danger as they find themselves being chased by the police and some nasty former acquaintances. The story has a few too many tangents, but the acting is of the highest quality, the characters are all very strong and the photography is gorgeous.