10 Classic French Crime Films To Watch If You Like Netflixs Lupin
10 Classic French Crime Films To Watch If You Like Netflix’s Lupin
Netflix’s Lupin is a fresh take on the classics of French crime cinema – so fans should watch the films that inspired the series.
You Are Reading :[thien_display_title]
Netflix’s original new French crime series Lupin continues its impressive viewership pace. By the end of its first 28 days on the streaming platform, Lupin is expected to be watched by more than 70 million households, which would break the previous record held by recent breakout hit shows Bridgerton and The Queen’s Gambit.
While Lupin is loosely based on the French literary character Arsene Lupin created in 1905, the series also pulls from France’s rich history of crime films. As the world awaits Part 2 of Lupin to arrive later this year, here are a double-handful of excellent French crime classics to keep you company.
10 The Crook (1970)
Masterful French filmmaker Claude Lelouch won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for his 1966 drama A Man and a Woman. Four years later he turned in one of the all-time classic criminal character studies in The Crook.
Also known as Le Voyou, The Crook follows the criminal exploits of Simon the Swiss (Jean-Louise Trintignant), a compulsive thief who cannot shake his obsession with stealing invaluable items. With stylish verve, Simon’s thieving career is chronicled ahead of his biggest and most ambitious heist to date.
9 Band Of Outsiders (1964)
Also known as Bande A Part, Quentin Tarantino named his production company (A Band Apart) after Jean-Luc Goddard’s classic French crime film Band of Outsiders.
The classic French crime flick follows Franz (Sami Frey) and Author (Claude Brasseur), small-time hoods who learn of a large stash of cash hidden in the villa of Odile’s (Anna Karina) aunt. The two American-movie lovers coerce a fellow student to help them steal the money, leading to an unpredictable series of events.
8 La Haine (1995)
Although its themes do not always align with Lupin, the fact remains that La Haine is one of the last tried and true French crime classics of the past quarter-century. With a rating of 8.1/10, the film currently ranks #225 on IMDB’s Top 250.
Directed by Matthieu Kassovitz, La Haine tracks three young Frenchman from different backgrounds in the wake of a violent riot in France. Vinz (Vincent Cassel) is Jewish, Said (Said Taghmaoui) is Arab, and Hubert (Hubert Kounde) is Black. Set over the course of 24 hours, Vinz vows to exact revenge on the police that wounded his friend.
7 Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
The great Jean-Pierre Melville’s entire filmography could have been cited on this list, from Bob La Flambeur to Le Doulos. However, for a riveting tale of robbery akin to that of Lupin, Le Cercle Rouge (The Red Circle) is the place to be.
Le Cercle Rouge stars legendary French actor Alain Delon as Corey, a master thief who goes right back to work after being released from a five-year prison stint. Along with a notorious prison escapee and a drunk former cop, Corey plots the biggest jewelry heist of his life. But first, Corey steals money from his former boss, putting him in the cross-hairs of the police and a criminal outfit at once.
6 Elevator To The Gallows (1958)
With a jazzy score by the iconic Miles Davis and a ravishing performance by French luminary Jeanne Moreau, Elevator to the Gallows is one of the coolest and sexiest French crime classics ever made. The film currently holds a 94/100 Metascore.
Directed by the great Louis Malle, the film centers on Julien Tavernier, a cocky businessman who is having an affair with his boss’ wife, Florence (Moreau). When Julien and Florence decide to kill her husband by faking his suicide, an unforeseen twist of fate intervenes.
5 Breathless (1960)
Jean-Luc Goddard’s trailblazing 1960 crime film Breathless marked a watershed moment in the history of French cinema. Written by Francois Truffaut, the movie was remade with Richard Gere in 1983.
Breathless concerns Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo), a cool small-time French thief who runs afoul of the law after stealing a car and murdering a cop in the heat of the moment. Michel lays low by hanging out with Patricia (Jean Seberg), a young American exchange-student whom he tries to convince to flee the country with.
4 Le Samourai (1967)
The second Jean-Pierre Melville classic crime film to make the list includes Le Samourai, a compelling character study of a career hit-man going to whatever lengths necessary to maintain his latest alibi.
Alain Delon stars as Jef Costello, a reserved assassin who becomes the prime suspect of a murder he was hired to complete. When his alibi is shattered by his so-called allies, Jef scrambles to cover his tracks, keep his alibi in place, and remain out of police custody no matter the cost.
3 Pickpocket (1959)
Robert Bresson’s Pickpocket is as classic a French crime film as they come. Equal parts riveting crime drama and fascinating character study, the film follows Michel (Martin LaSalle), a small-time thief fresh out of jail for robbery.
Upon his release, Michel’s mother dies, leaving him lost and unsure of what to do. Michel repudiates his friends’ assistance and learns how to master pick-pocketing from a local expert. Soon, Michel realizes that being a pickpocket is the only way to survive and is what gives him a true sense of meaning.
2 Rififi (1955)
The great American filmmaker Jules Dassin won Best Director at the 1955 Cannes Film Festival for Rififi, often-hailed as the greatest French heist movie ever made. The film currently boasts a 97/100 Metascore and is ranked #236 on IMDB’s Top 250 with an 8.2/10 rating.
For fans of Lupin, Rififi is a must-see. The film follows a quartet of career criminals who plot the perfect jewel heist, only to fall victim to infighting, greed, paranoia and decreasing cooperation.
1 The 400 Blows (1959)
It would be impossible to conduct a list of classic French films without the inclusion of the great auteur Francois Truffaut. In 1960, Truffaut gifted the world with the classic crime picture Shoot the Piano Player, but his greatest contribution to cinema will always be his 1959 classic The 400 Blows.
The landmark French film follows Antoine (Jean-Pierre Leaud), a neglected 14-year-old boy from a broken home who devolves into a life of petty crime, small-time thieving, scholastic truancy, and more. With an 8.1/10 rating, The 400 Blows currently ranks #224 on IMDB’S Top 250.
Link Source : https://screenrant.com/netflix-lupin-best-similar-classic-french-crime-film/
Reviews -10 Awesome Things You Didnt Know Your Google Chromecast Can Do
8 Most Popular Romance Archetypes In Video Games
10 Sitcom Relationships From The 90s That Would Never Fly Today
5 Reasons Why 22 Jump Street Is The Better Film (& 5 Why Its 21 Jump Street)
10 Star Wars Moments That Could Pay Off In The Rise Of Skywalker
10 Plot Points To Know Before Playing Halo Infinite
5 Characters We Hope To See In The Upcoming Breaking Bad Movie (And 5 Who Can Stay Away)
