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7.2/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.2/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Le grand jeu remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like movies that lean heavily into shadows, doomed romance, and the kind of existential grit that only 1930s French cinema seems to pull off, then yes, catch this one. It’s not for people who need a fast-paced thriller. If you get bored by guys staring intensely into the desert or moping over women who aren’t really there, you’ll probably want to bail after twenty minutes.
There is this specific, suffocating feeling to the Morocco scenes. The heat isn't just a setting; it feels like it's melting the characters' sense of reality. Pierre Richard-Willm plays Pierre with such a pathetic, desperate energy that you can't help but feel a little embarrassed for him. He’s a guy who broke his own life and then decided to go play soldier as a punishment.
The whole thing hinges on the double-role performance of Marie Bell. She plays Florence and Irma, and there’s this moment where she’s staring at Pierre, and you can tell she’s trying to figure out if she’s falling for him or just playing a part. It’s subtle, but it sticks in your head. That look she gives him—it’s not love, it’s pity wrapped in a lie.
Charles Vanel as the bar owner, Mr. Clement? He’s pure slime. Every time he walks into a frame, the movie feels a little dirtier. He doesn't need to do much to be threatening. Just his posture is enough to make your skin crawl. You see him lurking near the edges of the screen, and you just know he’s going to ruin everything for everyone.
I found myself thinking about Le bal while watching this, though they are very different beasts. There’s a similar feeling of people trapped in their own social masks. In this one, though, the mask is literally another woman’s face.
The fortune-telling scenes with Ms. Blanche feel like they go on for an eternity. They’re weirdly hypnotic, though. Maybe it’s the way the cards hit the table. It’s almost like the movie is telling you what’s going to happen, and you just have to sit there and wait for the train wreck to arrive.
It’s a strange, heavy watch. You’ll probably want a drink after, or at least a long walk. It doesn't give you closure, which feels right for a story about guys who can't let go of the past. Just don't expect a happy ending.
IMDb —
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