Classe Tous Risques

Director Claude Sautet who passed away in 2000 did not get the attention he deserved in the U.S., where more of the spotlight was on French directors Godard and Truffaut. Godard was more “artsy” with camerawork and editing and Truffaut was often sentimental to a fault. In my opinion, Sautet films best reflected the warmth and intellect of real people - both thrilling gangsters (Classe Tous Risques) and ordinary citizens (A Simple Story). In Classe Tous Risques, we care about Abel, a career criminal with a wife and kids fleeing a death sentence in Italy. Abel seeks help in France from former partners in crime who at that point find it best to double cross him. All the bad guys get theirs in the end, plus some innocent victims. A powerful work.

If you enjoy gangster movies but haven't discovered the French crime oeuvre, this picture (translated as Consider All Risks) is a perfect introduction. If you're already a fan, you need to add this masterpiece to your collection. It's the simple tale of a French criminal (Lino Ventura) trying to get home to Paris from his exile in Italy, with his family in tow. Helping him is an honorable young crook played by Jean-Paul Belmondo in his first role after his star-making performance in the Godard classic À bout de souffle (Breathless). This being a French movie, don't expect things to turn out well.

The great actors Lino Ventura and Jean-Paul Belmondo working together in this film, that alone makes this movie worth watching. It's a crime film, primarily dark in nature, about a gangster who tries his best to provide for his children as his life as a gangster is crumbling around him. He doesn't know who to trust, or where to turn. Belmondo plays a young thief who agrees to help him.The set up is fantastic, but the closing act of the film struggles to find a clean resolution. Nonetheless, this gem of a crime film is worth watching for fans of these actors.

Good solid crime story. Lino Ventura, a career criminal, flees from Italy, where he is sought by the police, back to his native Paris with the help of Jean Paul Belmondo, an up and coming crook. In Paris Ventura tries to resume his criminal career with help from his old cohorts. Lots of great shots of 60's Italy, France and Paris.

superb ! involving from the very beginning till the last. a classic. few films are created this well these days and there weren't enough in those days either. a must see for movie lovers.

Excellent film. Belmondo made it the same year as Breathless which got all the press but he is great in this one as is Lino Ventura, a giant of Cinema acting. Written by the controversial criminal Jose Giovanni, it has an air of authenticity. An overlooked gem of French Crime Cinema.

This is every bit as good as any of the John-Pierre Melville gangster films. Might as well buy it, as you'll never find it on Netflix or cable.

Excellent vendor. Another tour-de-force performance by Ventura, who transcends the story like Humphrey Bogart.

A very effective crime drama / thriller with Lino Ventura playing a self-interested and utterly amoral murdering gangster. He outwits his former associates who try to kill him. Jean-Paul Belmondo plays a loner who forms a friendly association with Ventura, but he may not be all that he seemsIt's effectively a French version of an American film noir, but with a harder edge.It's also great to see these two influential French actors together in the same film and that in itself is good enough reason for seeing it. .

What a movie.

Albert Devos, ( Lino Ventura ) ,un gangster dangereux s'étant rendu coupable de nombreuses agressions seul ou avec des complices du milieu, est recherché en France par la police étant condamné à mort par contumace . Après un refuge de douze ans en Italie où il vivait avec sa femme Thérèse et ses deux enfants , il décide de rejoindre la France par la mer avec sa famille accompagné de son ami et complice Raymond , avec qui , défiant sa condamnation ,il put perpétuer ses agressions à mains armées bien sur. Le groupe de fugitifs se trouvent appréhendés par les douaniers Français. Un échange de coups de feu se produit , Thérèse et Raymond sont tués ainsi que les deux douaniers. Abel, se trouve seul avec ses deux enfants dans un hôtel Niçois. Malgré sa mentalité et sa « culture » de hors la loi , il posséde des liens d'amitié avec des semblables , domiciliés à Paris , à qui il avait rendu de précieux services antérieurement. Ayant gardé les coordonnées de ces personnes il arrive à les joindre en expliquant sa situation, et demande de l'aide. La réponse est évasive, floue et personne veut se « mouiller ». C'est un jeune inconnu , Eric Stark ( Jean -Paul Belmondo ) , qui arrive à son secours au volant. d'une ambulance. Ce jeune homme ( de l époque , 1960 ) décontracté, dynamique, franc séduit Abel et un lien de sympathie s'établit aussitôt. Pour son deuxième film ,Claude Sautet mène son film avec le talent de réalisateur qui fut le sien, et qui sera présent par la suite sur toutes ses réalisations qui seront appréciées à juste titre et très justement primées . La solitude de Lino Ventura évoque et évoquera ensuite bien des personnages de cet excellent cinéaste ,que ce soit pour Michel Serrault de Nelly et monsieur Arnaud, ou pour Daniel Auteuil dans un cœur en hiver. Cet excellent film en « noir et blanc » de 1960 qui décrit d'une façon parfaite l'état d'esprit du milieu des hors la loi de cette époque est à voir ou à revoir avec intérêt.

Enfin, un transfert de CLASSES TOUS RISQUES en 16/9 et HD. Dommage que ce film "français" ne soit pas disponible en France dans ces conditions. Heureusement, grâce à AMAZON, nous pouvons nous procurer de superbes éditions éditées en dehors de nos frontières et à des prix intéressants. De plus, il s'agit d'un édition "dual" c'est-à-dire combo BD + DVD. De quoi remplacer l'ancienne édition René Chateau en 4/3 et au master daté.

A wonderful film with a superb performance by the great Lino Ventura. The print quality of the DVD ( I have not watched the Blu-Ray version ) is almost flawless - just an odd imperfection here and there. I love this genre of French film making and this movie is up there with the best of them. If you love French "policier"/ gangster movies then this is an essential purchase. It's a classic. Don't hesitate, buy it!