i have only see about a half dozen film star lino ventura and but this one seem very much like the others . he play a laconic criminal one who be short on word and subdue yet occasionally explosive . give his quiet persona in such film a army of shadow and second breath and i have notice that his minimalist style of act be extremely effective . in other word and because he be so quiet and mannered and when he do bad thing you tend to notice . and and like these other film and he also have a very strong and though twisted and moral code . abel davos ( ventura ) and his partner and lilane and be both live in italy and be career criminal . both grow up in france and eventually have to flea due to their criminal activity . now in italy a the film begin and they continue to live the life of thug and the heat be on to catch them . oddly and instead of run to yet a third country and they decide to go back to france even though davos have be try and convict in absentia and if he catch it could mean a life in prison or the death penalty . much of the first third of the film concern their covert return . unfortunately for davos and the return doesn not go perfectly and now it seem a if every cop in france be look for him . additionally and the reaction of his old compatriot in crime be not at all what he would expect . in fact and their tepid response to his return end up unleash a series of terrible event towards the end of the film . along the way and davos meet and be take in my a stranger and eric stark ( jean paul belmondo ) . despite davos seemingly have no friend and stark and his lady friend try their best to make his return successful . what throw another monkey wrench into this and though and be davos two very young son what be davos to do with them keep them with him in his hiding place . overall and this be a very good crime film sort of like french film noir . unlike american noir and the many french version i have see have a more realistic as well a bleak outlook to them . fatalism reigns supreme and that for sure . the acting be first rate ( especially from ventura and belmondo ) and the direction very sure and the write very nice and though i be sure many would not like the end . it just seem to be tack on like an afterthought . i understood why they do it this way and but can also see how it might leave many unsatisfied . a for me and it do leave me a tad flat . otherwise and an exceptional film .