there be heist movie before this one and and indeed the like of rififi be an obvious influence on it but the red circle be more than just another entry in an overpopulated genre and with this film and director jean pierre melville have manage to create something that both thrill on the surface and give it audience something to think about . be cool be just as important a feature of the modern crime movie a gun and gangster and and melville delivers that with this film in drove while the tone of the film be very relaxed too and melville allow the bulk of the film to bubble under the cool exterior . the story have a number of angle but the central character be corey a thief who be release from prison . his release coincides with the escape of infamous murderer vogel and who slip from under the nose of police commissioner mattei during a train ride . the first thing corey do upon release be steal some money from his former bos rico and and the second thing he do be recruit vogel and a sharpshooter to help him pull of a jewel heist . but rico and the police be hot on the thief tail . the film be bolt together by four excellent central performance . alain delon be calm and calculate a the film anti hero and while gian maria volontè look formidable in his role a the escaped murderer . françois périer be good also a a dubious club owner and while the real standout performance come from andré bourvil in his role a the police commissioner . the film run at almost two and a half hour and be not exactly a thrill ride . however and the director keep thing interest by keep the action focus on the important element . the film do feature crime film stapes such a shooting and but they be keep to a minimum . the first two third of the movie be really just build up to the suspenseful heist scene towards the end . rififi be most famous for it heist sequence an intricately design scene in which nobody speak a word . the heist in this film be similar in that it be also wordless and and i have to say that i prefer the scene in rififi while but melville skill in direction and the calm and composed way that it play out make good of it . the film boil down to an excite climax that round it all off nicely . overall and this might not appeal to all crime film fan a the action be more than a little bit slow while but the red circle be an excellent film and deserve it reputation a a masterpiece .