Main Cast: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Claudia Cardinale, Jean Rochefort, Marcel Dalio, Odile Versois
Release Year: 1962
Country: FR/IT
Run Time: 115 minutes
Plot
Jean-Paul Belmondo romps his way through the role of 18th century French bandit chief Cartouche. At first robbing from everyone in sight (he has to -- he's head man of a Parisian crime syndicate) Cartouche is rechanneled into becoming a Gallic Robin Hood by beauteous gypsy Venus (Claudia Cardinale). In Highwayman fashion, Venus eventually sacrifices her own life to save Cartouche from harm. He vows to continue his activities to avenge her death, but still manages to have a riproaring good time doing so. Hilarious without being condescending, Cartouche was reissued under the completely inappropriate title Swords of Blood. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
A film with two distinctive halves, Cartouche begins as a light-hearted swashbuckler, with Jean-Paul Belmondo casually fending off all comers with some help from his army pals, the giant Gentle (Jess Hahn) and the suave Mole (Jean Rochefort). When he falls for the lovely gypsy Venus (Claudia Cardinale) and assumes control of the crime syndicate formerly run by Malichat (Marcel Dalio), all seems right with the world. But the film is only at its halfway point, and from there, the proceedings turn melancholy. Cartouche falls for another woman, perhaps because she's married to the chief of police and the excitement of the ultimate robbery is irresistible. Isabelle (Odile Versois) proves elusive, which spurs Cartouche's affections, but disaster looms. A rendezvous becomes a betrayal, a rescue turns tragic when Venus takes a bullet for her lover. This is not the way The Adventures of Robin Hood or The Crimson Pirate wrapped up things, so for all its physical comedy and Belmondo's charm, the viewer may be shocked to hear the hero mutter a fatalistic line as the story closes. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide
Jess Hahn - La Douceur; Noël Roquevert - Recruiting Sergeant; Jacques Balutin; Raoul Billerey; Jacques Charon - Colonel; Alain Dekock - Louison; Jacques Hilling; Philippe Lemaire - de Ferrussac; Paul Preboist; Lucien Raimbourg - Marshal; Pierre Repp; Philippe de Broca
In the 18th century, Louis Dominique Bourguignon is working with Malichot's gang, but their ways are too 'unethical' for him. He hides out from Malichot and joins the army, where he and his two new friends survive by hiding out on the battlefield. Together they rob the general of his gold. Fleeing, they stop at an inn where they meet Venus, a beautiful gypsy who has been taken prisoner. He rescues her and she joins his gang. Returning to Paris, de Bourguignon creates his own band, acting under the name of Cartouche, and most of Malichot's gang join him. They make audacious robberies of the rich people, and distribute the takings with the poor. Thus, Cartouche attracts the people's sympathies, Venus's love, and hate from the Police and Malichot. Malichot goes to the police to betray Cartouche, but Cartouche can escape all the traps they set at him - except the entrapments of love. Eventually, the police use this against him and set a trap while he has a tryst with Venus in the countryside. He is captured, but his men ambush the guards as they lead him away. In the scuffle that follows, Cartouche is saved by Venus, who sacrifices her life to save him from harm. Cartouche and his men place Venus's body in an expensive carriage they stole earlier from a nobleman and roll the carriage in a lake. As the carriage slowly sinks Cartouche tells his men to disperse as he vows to avenge the death of his beloved Venus - a way that he anticipates will lead him sooner or later to the gallows.
