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Il Buco is a 1960 film directed by Jacques Becker, born in 1906, a disciple of Renoir in his youth, who died prematurely precisely in 1960. Il Buco is therefore his last film, probably his masterpiece.
Based on a true story, it tells the story of an escape attempt, the fourth in his career after the previous 3, all successful, by Roland Barbat. In the film, he is called Roland Dardant and is played by an actor whose stage name is Jean Keraudy. However, the real name is Roland Barbat, yes, indeed, he plays himself!
He will then try to escape, we are in 1947, for the fourth time together with his 3 cellmates:
Vossellin, the eldest, with a calm demeanor and a sly air, he is "the Monsignor" due to a distant relationship with a prelate.
Geo, rough but good and generous, is a war hero irresistibly attracted to women.
Finally, Manu, the coolest of them all. A young Philippe Leroy, already a magnificent actor, cold, resolute, and determined but 100% loyal, a real man I would say.
And Roland? Oh well, he is the boss. With a convict's face, and you can tell, a big man of few words and many actions, an undisputed leader.
A fifth element will arrive in the cell: young Gaspar, a bourgeois man jailed for attempted premeditated murder of his wife. A clean-looking, very polite, and respectful boy. He will not struggle to meet the benevolence of the group, who will reveal the escape plan to him. Make a hole, in the floor, indeed. Gaspar, with the prospect of spending about ten years in jail, and the others are in even worse condition, will accept.
Il Buco is the best prison escape film I have ever seen, yes, the famous Escape from Alcatraz is not at this level. I remind you that it is not only a true story but is played by the multi-escapee himself. The details are shown with absolute precision, and the film in its 140 minutes lingers greatly on showing us the work of the group, yet you never get bored.
The film is damn realistic and dry. There's nothing out of place, nothing more, nothing less than what you see. There is no room for emphasis, witty lines, imaginative characterizations, including prison guards. There are no twists (perhaps), but it keeps you riveted from the first to the last minute because you are in the cell with them, and you want the hole to be finished, you want them to escape.
The dry style permeates every aspect of the film. The dialogues: there is not a word too many, even the humor or sarcasm or merriment or whatever you like is reduced to the bone. The soundtrack is completely absent, yet a poignant melody will accompany the end credits. The editing takes its time, lingering as already mentioned over the details of the work necessary for the escape and the faces of the 5 men forced to live in a small cell. Few cuts, therefore, and many long takes. We're far from modern fast-paced music video style. Instead, we are closer to a theatrical piece even regarding the physicality of the convicts, forced against their will into a cramped space and thus acting more with facial expressions than with words or actions.
.Masterful.
With Il Buco (Le Trou), I close the series of reviews dedicated to French cinema, predominantly noir, of films made roughly between 1940 and 1970.
I watched these films thanks to a series held at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni in Rome: "Henri Georges Clouzot and French Noir." I saw many, but I reviewed only a few.
Of those not reviewed but that I watched at the series, I recommend:
I senza nome ****
La verità *****
Sinfonia per un massacro ****
Alba tragica *****
Rapina al sole *****
Vite vendute *****
La notte dell'incrocio ****
Ucciderò un uomo *** 1/2
L'enfer ***1/2
Manon ****
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