Le cercle rouge

Jean-Pierre Melville 's magisterial, epic heist movie centring on on the preparation, execution and aftermath of a lengthy, daring and meticulously planned jewel-robbery.

Inspired in part by the various robbery set-ups in John Huston’s The Asphalt Jungle, this magisterial heist movie centres on the preparations, execution and aftermath of a lengthy, daring and meticulously planned jewel-robbery in the Place Vendôme. As ever, Melville is primarily interested in the psychology and ethics of the interplay between characters, and his marvellous cast does his beautifully structured script proud.