‘Le Samourai’ 
CICC, 1967
starring: Alain Delon, Francois Perier, Nathalie Delon and Cathy Rosier
directed by: Jean-Pierre Melville
the plot: Jeff Costello (Alain Delon) is a cautions hitman. He takes care to leave no trace when he commits a crime, uses a stolen car to make a getaway and makes sure that his alibi is airtight. However, Costello’s careful planning is for naught when, after killing the owner of a posh nightclub, the club’s pianist (Rosier) spots him leaving the scene. Soon, the police arrest Costello, but after hours of dogged questioning at the hands of a tenacious lieutenant (Perier), Costello is released. He’s far from safe, though. Fearing that he squealed to the cops, Costello’s employer wants him dead. Meanwhile, the police are questioning Costello’s girlfriend (Nathalie Delon), using her vulnerability to seal Costello’s fate. Backed into a corner with no one to turn to, Costello strikes back against his adversaries, only to find that there’s almost no way to escape the murky criminal underworld of Paris.

why it’s good: “Le Samourai” is just plain cool. Costello is one of cinema’s slickest, most stylish lone gunman, a morally flexible cipher who remains an enigma right up until the film’s climax. But there’s more to Costello than his rockin’ fedora and steely gaze. Delon gives a subtle depth to the character. Even as he glides anonymously through the streets of Paris, it’s easy to see that Costello knows his luck is starting to run out. There are lots of little moments—like when Costello is confronted by the pianist after the murder—when Delon lets the cool façade burn away to reveal a sort of restrained panic. It’s all held together by Melville, whose masterful direction and smart script call to mind Jules Dassin’s 1950 film “Night and the City.” Melville leads Costello and the viewer deeper and deeper into the labyrinth that Costello’s created for himself, leaving the audience to root for the hit man even as he hastens his own destruction.

why you should own it: “Le Samourai” is a must for noir fans. The Criterion Collection’s excellent DVD features interviews with Mellville and the film’s cast, as well as a booklet featuring a tribute by director John Woo.