Plot
Pepe le Moko (Jean Gabin) is a well-known criminal mastermind who eludes the French police by hiding in the Casbah section of Algiers. He knows he is safe in this labyrinthine netherworld, where he is surrounded by his fellow thieves and cutthroats. Police inspector Slimane (Lucas Gridoux), who has developed a grudging respect for Pepe, bides his time, waiting for Pepe to try to leave the Casbah. When Gaby Gould (Mirielle Balin), a Parisian tourist, falls in love with Pepe, the inspector hopes to use this relationship to his advantage. He tells Gaby that Pepe has been killed, knowing that the heartbroken girl will return to Paris -- and that Pepe will risk everything to go after her. The French Pepe le Moko was remade in the US as Algiers, which followed the original so slavishly (except for changing its ending) that the American producers were able to utilize generous amounts of stock footage from the French film. ~ Hal Erickson, RoviReview
Pépé le Moko is among the most influential films of the 20th century, a precursor of both 1940s film noir and late 1940s neo-realism. The film quickly generated international acclaim, and it was responsible for director Julien Duvivier's leaving Europe to make films in Hollywood. The film's greatest strengths are its atmospheric visual richness and strong lead performances from Jean Gabin and Mireille Balin. There have been several remakes, though the film's influence has been much wider than that. The setting, ambience, and some of the characters of Casablanca, for example, owe much to Pepe Le Moko, as do numerous English-language crime films. Duvivier's work in Hollywood was of moderate success, as were his later European films, but Pépé le Moko represents the high point of his career. ~ Richard Gilliam, RoviCast
- Jean Gabin - Pepe le Moko
- Mireille Balin - Gaby Gould
- Line Noro - Ines
- Lucas Gridoux - Inspector Slimane
- Gabriel Gabrio - Carlos
Credit
Julien Duvivier - Director, Marguerite Beauge - Editor, Vincent Scotto - Composer (Music Score), Mohamed Yguerbouchen - Composer (Music Score), Jacque Krauss - Production Designer, Jules Kruger - Cinematographer, Marc Fossard - Cinematographer, Raymond Hakim - Producer, Robert Hakim - Producer, Robert Vernay - Set Designer, Julien Duvivier - Screenwriter, Henri Jeanson - Screenwriter, Roger D'Ashelbe - Screenwriter, Jacques Costant - Screenwriter, Roger D'Ashelbe - Book Author, M. Ashelbe - Book Author| Père-Lachaise (2006 Film), På rymmen med Pippi Långstrump (1970 Film) | |
| Péril en la Demeure (1985 Film), peter (2001 Film) |
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