Limited Edition version.

While the United States can indisputably lay claim to being the birthplace of film noir, arguably France and French cinema is almost as important to the development of the genre. The term film noir - literally, dark film - was first applied to the Hollywood crime movies of the 40s and 50s by French critic Nino Frank, who was believed to have been inspired by the French publishing imprint Serie Noire, which published translated editions of American hardboiled fiction to great commercial success. It was the French who would popularise the use of the term and in turn, create the genre framework that has become so important and influential to the history of cinema. 

Arguably, the story of noir is one of the cinema of France and the USA in conversation with one another, and presented in this set are three classic French films from the 50s and 60s that clearly take their inspiration from the Golden Age of Hollywood noir: Henri Decoins Chnouf (1955), Édouard Molinaros Back To The Wall (1958), and Marcel Bluwals Paris Pick-Up (1962).

CHNOUF

Henri (Jean Gabin, Touchez pas au grisbi) is brought in following a successful stint in the US to head up operations by gang boss Lisky. Tasked with increasing sales and reforming the drugs distribution network he unpicks every aspect of the business, but pushers dont want to change and the cops are on his tail. From the creator of Rififi, Auguste Le Breton, and brought to the screen by Henri Decoin (Not Guilty), the influence of American noir is given a French translation as we see the then nascent drugs trade depicted in remarkable detail. Out of the inky shadows scenery chewing support is given by a rich cast of wonderful character actors including Lino Ventura (Illustrious Corpses), Albert Rémy (The Train) and Magali Noël (Rififi).

BACK TO THE WALL