Les tricheurs (“The Cheaters”; “Youthful Sinners”)
Directed by Marcel Carné
Written by Marcel Carné and Jacques Sigurd
1958/France/Italy
Les Films Corona/Silver Films/Cinetel/Zebra Films
First viewing/Amazon Instant
[box] In order to exist, man must rebel, but rebellion must respect the limits that it discovers in itself – limits where minds meet, and in meeting, begin to exist. — Albert Camus[/box]
Marcel Carné reinvents himself for the beat generation and doesn’t do half badly.
Most of the story is told in flashback in the memories of Bob Letellier who has decided to return to his studies and his bourgeois roots. By chance, he had hooked up with Alain, whom he bails out when Alain has no money to pay the rental fee on a booth where he had been listening to a record. It turns out Alain stole the record as well. Something about the reckless, carefree former existentialist appeals to the more sober Bob and he goes to party with Alain’s friends that night.
Alain’s crowd seems to be more nihilist that existentialist. They believe in nothing except good times and free love. Alain hooks up with the hostess but is really more attracted by her friend, Mic. Mic craves the good life and has no intention of working to get it. She gets Bob involved in a dangerous swindle to earn some easy money. At the same time, something in the souls of both of them yearns for genuine love. Can this ever be? With Jean-Paul Belmondo in an early small role as one of the young people.
When I saw that the Amazon Instant version of this film, which I had already paid for, was billed as a “juvenile delinquent” movie, dubbed, and in a poor print, I had very low expectations. While I can’t claim to have properly seen it, I was surprised at how well it kept my attention. Carné keeps things moving at a fairly good pace, the acting is fine, and there are some good shots. There is also a nice soundtrack of American rock and roll and jazz hits of the era to enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfiUH2P8k7U
Trailer – no sub-titles
