Alain Delon,
Bourvil,
Gian Maria Volonté,
Yves Montand,
François Périer
... see more 
Corey (Alain Delon) is the young gun in the French underworld who has just been released from prison. Escaped convict Vogel (Gian-Maria Volonté) hides in the trunk of Corey's car. The two enlist the h... read more
DVD Release Date: December 1, 1990
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Stats: 457 reviews
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Flixster Reviews (457)
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December 10, 2011A good French heist thriller from the 70's that's a slow-burn, but delivers in spades when it comes to tension and atmosphere. A daring jewelry theft is the highlight of the movie, and kept me on the edge of my seat.
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November 8, 2011Jean-Pierre Melville's masterpiece Le Cercle Rouge (The Red Circle) is a police procedural meets heist film that seems to be almost a playbook for all films like it that came afterwards. Whether it was a consious effort on other filmmaker's parts or developed along the lines by s... read more
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August 27, 2011This movie makes the Fonz look like Peter Parker. Nothing is cooler than a Melville/Delon pairing.
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August 9, 2011In my opinion, Melville's best work. How he manages to blend the grittiness of the American heist film with the sexiness of the French New Wave is beyond me. All I do know, is that it is hard not to be enthralled by this film.
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August 2, 2009Crime noir at its finest, with dark and grim cinematography and a story that will have you hanging onto the edge of your seat. This just proves that you really don't need that much of a dialouge to keep the story going and to keep the attention of your audience. Some of the best ... read more
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April 15, 2009melville and delon come together again for a gripping tale of intrigue. one of melvilles best films, this story grabbed me from the first moment as we see the stories of two criminals side by side until a fateful moment when their paths collide in the red circle. the heist scen... read more
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November 19, 2009fb1142797643A marvelous caper film which is long but never *seems* long. Add a bonus point for the alcoholic-hallucination scene...a delightfully perverse indulgence.
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July 8, 2011fb208103125I have to say that I really haven't seen a gangster film at all like this. Don't get me wrong, I have seen many many films from American to Japanese Yakuza films but none with the style and suspense as Le Cercle Rouge! The lack of music throughout really makes you feel there wi... read more
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December 26, 2010After watching Le Samourai about a week before this, I thought 'I wanna see more of this Alain Delon guy'. And this movie sparked the start of my obsession.
It started off really good. Then it got iffy for a while, and then there was that awesome heist scene. So, so awesome. Tha... read more
Critic Reviews
August 15, 2003
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
July 24, 2003
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
If you ever wanted to know how to look good wearing a trenchcoat, lighting a cigarette, handling a revolver, drinking a whiskey or overpowering an armed guard, Jean-Pierre Melville's 1970 gangster dra... Full Review
June 19, 2003
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
A slo-mo gem of gangster cool.
June 12, 2003
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News
Stylish, meticulous and moody, thanks largely to the work of cinematographer Henri Decae. Full Review
June 5, 2003
Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle
A moody, deliberately paced meditation on destiny (and style) enlivened by stunning bits of business. Full Review
May 23, 2003
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
There is one cool, understated scene after another. Full Review
May 22, 2003
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
A classic of the clenched-fist, dark-skied, doom-laden world of noir. Full Review
May 2, 2003
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
A minor classic, mainly for reasons besides its crime story plot -- namely, the urbane fatalism of its cast and the overall mood of inevitability that hangs over every scene. Full Review
May 1, 2003
Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News
Cercle's set piece -- which arrives well beyond the midpoint -- never has the carat-weight of the gem mounted in the middle of Rififi, but once it has turned that corner, the movie begins to soar. Full Review
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Le Cercle Rouge
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