Le deuxième souffle

With his customary restraint and ruthless attention to detail, director Jean-Pierre Melville follows the parallel tracks of French underworld criminal Gu (the inimitable Lino Ventura), escaped from prison and roped into one last robbery, and the suave inspector, Blot, relentlessly seeking him. The implosive LE DEUXIEME SOUFFLE (“Second Breath”) captures the pathos, loneliness, and excitement of a life in the shadows with methodical suspense and harrowing authenticity.

Starring Lino Ventura, Paul Meurisse, Raymond Pellegrin, Christine Fabréga, Jo Ricci, Denis Manuel, Michel Constantin, Pierre Zimmer, Pierre Grasset