Le Samouraï

PG

Now Playing

1h 32m

Crime

Drama

List

100%

Tomatometer

38 Reviews

94%

Audience Score

10,000+ Ratings

Hit man Jef Costello (Alain Delon) goes through an elaborate set of rituals before carrying out a hit on a nightclub owner. Always thorough and cool in his job, Costello is disconcerted to discover a witness to the killing, the club's female piano player. But before he can act, the police arrest him in a sweep of suspects. Released when the main witness does not come forward, Costello goes from being the hunter to the hunted, trailed by the determined police as well as his crime bosses.

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Critics Consensus

Le Samouraï makes the most of its spare aesthetic, using stylish -- and influential -- direction, solid performances, and thick atmosphere to weave an absorbing story.

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Peter Rainer

FilmWeek (KPCC - NPR Los Angeles)

One of [Jean-Pierre Melville's] best.

Apr 17, 2024

Full Review

Kenneth Turan

Washington Post

An austere poem of crime, Le Samourai manages to have a grip of an old-fashioned potboiler as well. Not a half-bad combination.

Jan 8, 2018

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Penelope Gilliatt

New Yorker

Cold, masterly, without pathos, and not even particularly sympathetic; it has the noble structure of accuracy.

Jan 14, 2013

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Despite the occasional op-art decor and other factors, Le Samourai’s hermetically sealed pulp objet d’art has aged less than nearly any other movie you could name from the era.

Apr 27, 2024

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Joey Magidson

Awards Radar

Le Samouraï is a stone cold classic for a reason.

Rated: 4/4

Mar 25, 2024

Full Review

Tom Ryan

The Sunday Age

Melville's style throughout is rigorously detached, his methods masterful in their economy. But it is the passion that pervades his portrait of a dysfunctional humanity that makes Le Samouraï one of the great French films.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 28, 2024

Full Review

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Luca D

A great noir though the assassins lack of emotion makes what happens to him much less interesting, take Leon the professional for comparison which gives the assassin much more character depth rather than just him being a cool guy who kills people for money. It doesn't really seem like he's going after the crime boss because he has feelings or emotions, it seems like he's just a robot trying to find out who set him up. Otherwise the cinematography and music score are great, also the lead cop had a great performance. Would probably watch again but definitely doesn't live up to the hype entirely.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

05/29/24

Full Review

Harold S

I wanted to love it based on all the great expectations from previous reviewers, but I found the lack of interaction between the assassin and the other characters ultimately off putting. And the ending -- say what???

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/18/24

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Chun P

Boring. Like watching paint dry.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/02/23

Full Review

Normal D

Le Samurai, an icy cool gangster movie, is terrific. Flowing, oppressively grey, and tightly edited, Le Samurai is able to capture and convey the intrigue and anxiety of both being a hunted criminal and a rights-violating law enforcement officer. A rather boilerplate story is enough to hang cool Cat and mouse chase scenes, intriguing police procedural sequences and good old fashioned violence upon.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/21/23

Full Review

Turki A

amazing movie. great acting performance by Alain Delon, this movie made drive and taxi driver possible!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/20/23

Full Review

BRC B

Absolutely amazing. After the film when you are asking yourself WHY it is best to remember the name of the film. This might offer some answers.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/12/23

Full Review

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Jean-Pierre Melville

Director

Alain Delon

Jef Costello

Nathalie Delon

Jane Lagrange

François Perier

The Superintendant

Cathy Rosier

Valérie, la pianiste (as Caty Rosier)

Jacques Leroy

Gunman

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Synopsis

Hit man Jef Costello (Alain Delon) goes through an elaborate set of rituals before carrying out a hit on a nightclub owner. Always thorough and cool in his job, Costello is disconcerted to discover a witness to the killing, the club's female piano player. But before he can act, the police arrest him in a sweep of suspects. Released when the main witness does not come forward, Costello goes from being the hunter to the hunted, trailed by the determined police as well as his crime bosses.

Director: Jean-Pierre Melville
Producer: Raymond Borderie
Screenwriter: Joan McLeod, Jean-Pierre Melville, Roland Pellegrino, Yolande Maurette
Distributor: New Yorker Films
Production Co: Compagnie Industrielle et Commerciale Cinématographique, Fida Cinematografica
Rating: PG
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: French (Canada)
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 12, 1972, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 14, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $201.4K
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Mono

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