Jean Gabin, the epitome of middle-aged cool, and French cinema’s greatest actor, elevates the French crime thriller Razzia. A crime kingpin has a vertical monopoly of the manufacturing and sales of illegal drugs. He has noticed inefficiencies in his network, so he brings in the expert Henri (Gabin) to ruthessly clean things up, with “a million for your initial expenses“. Essentially, Gabin plays a management consultant for the dope trade.
At the Noir City screening, Eddie Muller noted that, with its drug trade content, this film could not have been made in Hollywood, especially with the country’s biggest star: “Imagine Jimmy Stewart as a New York drug kingpin”.
Razzia is a drug trade procedural, taking us through each rung of a vertical monopoly, importation and smuggling, manufacture into heroin and other opiates, wholesaling and street retailing, and an opium den and a club that is a marijuana joint (shameless pun intended). The original French title is Razzia sur la chnouf, literally “raid on the dope”.
There is a MASSIVE PLOT TWIST. Enough said.
The essence of Jean Gabin was the enduring sense that – no matter the situation he HAD BEEN HERE BEFORE. His world weariness informed both his skills and his confidence and projected stylish cool.
Gabin was 51 years old when he made Razzia, in the midst of the final 24-year phase of his career. From Touchez pas a grisbi the year before, throughout the 50s and 60s, Gabin looked like the well-worn guy who had been smoking and fighting through the Depression and WW II; (at age 40, Gabin rode a tank into liberated Paris as part of the French 2nd Armored Division). As his face grew puttier, he kept his compelling presence.
Magali Noël plays Lissette, plays the restaurant’s cashier, a 22-year-old hottie who is hit on by every guy except for Henri. She, of course, falls for Henri’s irresistible confidence and is soon living with him. Gabin projects such middle aged sexiness that it is totally believable that this very young woman would melt at his power.
The actress Josselin is excellent as a distributor who uses her own product. Unfortunately, junkies are unreliable, and you just can’t tolerate unreliability in a criminal syndicate. Henri sympathizes with her, but can’t save her.
French film noir favorites Dalio and Lino Ventura appear, but this is Gabin’s movie.
Razzia was directed by Henri Decoin, who had adapted the screenplay from the novel by Auguste Le Breton novel; (Le Breton has a cameo in Razzia).
Razzia is not now available to stream, but the Blu-Ray DVD is available on Amazon. I saw it at the 2020 Noir City.
