Les Grandes gueules (1966)
Directed by Robert Enrico

Film Review

With his hugely popular spaghetti westerns, A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and For a Few Dollars More (1965), Sergio Leone proved that European filmmakers were just as capable of making a high class western as their American counterparts.  But whilst the western became a mainstay of Italian cinema in the 1960s, it had very little direct influence on French cinema.  The only French film of this time that deserves to be labelled a western is Robert Enrico's Les Grandes gueules, the most perfect transposition of the classic American western to the wide open spaces of France (in this case the spectacular Vosges hinterland) that French cinema has so far given us.  Enrico is best remembered for his stylish and intense thrillers, notably Le Secret (1974) and Le Vieux fusil (1975), but here he gives John Ford and Howard Hawks a good run for their money, by delivering a pure western of comparable narrative flair and visual impact.

Les Grandes gueules is based on a 1962 novel, Haut-fer, by the prolific writer José Giovanni, who also wrote the film's screenplay in collaboration with Enrico.  An ex-con (who spent eleven years in prison and narrowly evaded the guillotine), Giovanni had an understanding of the criminal mentality that made him both a compelling crime writer and a highly sought-after screenwriter.  The most striking aspect of his work is the authenticity and depth with which he explores the camaraderie and conflict between men, and this is perhaps most evident in his script for Les Grandes gueules, which should be regarded as one of his finest achievements.  Every character in the film earns his or her right to be in the film and, whilst the dialogue is sparse and prosaic, we see that behind each one of them there is a complex pschology and an even more complex back-story.  Giovanni's flair for characterisation is most evident in the uneasy relationship that develops between the two main characters, superbly portrayed by Bourvil and Lino Ventura, two of the most prominent French film actors of the period.

Riding high on the success of the hit comedy Le Corniaud (1965), Bourvil assumes a very different screen persona for Les Grandes gueules and delivers what is easily one of his best dramatic performances.  At the time, Lino Ventura was also in danger of becoming pigeon-holed as a comedy actor, so the film allowed him to improve his standing as a serious actor, showing he was able to take on tougher, more action-oriented roles (for which he certainly has the physique).  Bourvil and Ventura complement one another so perfectly that it is surprising they never had the opportunity to work together again.  The team consisting of a sympathetic loser and cynical tough guy that the two actors form so splendidly in this film is one that would recur in many subsequent French films, often with Ventura cast in the latter role.  Here, the lead duo are well-served by an impressive supporting cast led by a photogenic Jean-Claude Rolland, who sadly committed suicide (aged 35) a year after the film was released after being arrested for a minor criminal offence.  Marie Dubois (chosen by Giovanni himself) provides a welcome feminine presence in a hard, macho world, whilst Michel Constantin and Jess Hahn both bring a subtle humour and humanity to the proceedings.

Nearly all of the motifs that we associate with the classic western are incorporated into Les Grandes gueules, ingeniously altered to fit the story and the location.  Of these, the most successfully employed is François De Roubaix's score, which not only gives the film its distinctive western feel (reminiscent of Ennio Morricone's music for Leone's films) but also complements the lush austere beauty of the setting whilst adding to the tension in several key scenes.  The action sequences are as impressively choreographed as in any western, a comparative rarity for French cinema.  The most striking homage to the classic western comes right at the end of the film, in a memorable sequence in which the hero's dreams literally go up in smoke.  The film's aggressively downbeat denouement is typical for José Giovanni, a harsh stroke of pessimistic realism that defines most of his work and prefigures the darker neo-noir thrillers of later decades.

Film Synopsis

After his father's death, Hector Valentin returns to Vosges in the northeast of France to take charge of his father's ailing timber business.  Having spent the last twenty years in Canada, Hector finds himself on his own and at the mercy of a ruthless rival, Therraz, who has control over most of the valley where the sawmill is situated.  Hector's attempts to make a success of his new business venture appear futile until two strangers, Laurent and Mick, show up and offer to help him.  Taking their advice, Hector recruits prisoners on parole to do all the heavy work, and within a few weeks his sawmill is up and running.

Little does Hector know that there is a dark motive behind his new friends' willingness to assist him - they intend helping one of their criminal associates, a man named Rechtman, to escape from prison.  Hector's immediate problem is his competitor Therraz, who intends using all of the means at his disposal to bankrupt his upstart rival.  As the feud escalates into a full-blown war, the two sides come to blows and Mick is one of the casualties.  The brutal death of his friend prompts Laurent to abandon his plans and leave the area.  Now that he is left to fight his battle alone, Hector soon realises that his efforts are futile.  Overcome with despair, he sets fire to his precious sawmill and is ready to throw himself onto the flames...