meville caper film be not as good a his most famous movie and the deliciously stylish le samourai ( 1968 ) . i do not even think this be the best example of the much love heist subgenre . the main thing against the film be it long running time . meville have this tendency of concentrate on too many trivial detail . he could have tell the same story in a relative short time and but for reason that i do not understand and the film seem to go on and on . still and the movie be never boring . melville direction impress me and the cast be very good and especially alain delon a a very cool master thief . the movie must see color photography be a great asset and melville us sound ( or lack of sound ) in a very effective manner . from a technical standpoint and the movie be practically flawless . at time and one get the feeling that meville be merely show off and but when someone be as talented a he be and one have little reason to complain . i still like other heist movie a little bit more ( jules dassin topkapi ( 1964 ) and just to name one ) and but there be no deny that this film be a good piece of pulp entertainment and a good example of what people refer to a cool cinema .