Liste noire (1984)
Directed by Alain Bonnot

Film Review

Director Alain Bonnot followed up his debut feature Une sale affaire (1981), a far-fetched political thriller, with the even less plausible Liste noire, adapted from Gérald Moreau's novel Nathalie ou la Punition.  As a grieving mother bent on revenge, Annie Girardot gets to play the toughest character of her career, and gives Arnold Schwarzenegger a good run for his money as she makes the transition from polite middle-aged widow to sadistic killing machine, dispatching her victims with terrifying zeal.  It's as mad as it sounds and it is a credit to Giradot that she pulls off the role as convincingly as she does.  After this fierce bout of homicidal bloodletting it's surprising she wasn't cast in a French remake of the Terminator films.  Annie gets far more than her gun in this one.

The plot may be a little, shall we say, over the top (actually, it's totally bananas), but Bonnot doesn't appear to be remotely put off by this.  Rather, he knocks out a tense, well-paced action thriller that is streets ahead of most French policiers of the 1980s.  The body count is, admittedly, a little on the high side, but Bonnot, to his credit, avoids dwelling on graphic violence, so the film is exciting without being stomach-churningly gory.  (Had the film been made today, it would doubtless be one long blood-soaked spectacle from start to finish, and consequently far less watchable.)

The fact that the script fails to give any character much in the way of depth doesn't prevent the cast from turning in some top-notch performances.  Girardot positively revels in the chance to out-macho Belmondo but is heartrendingly true to life in the more intimate scenes (such as the one in which she tends to her dying daughter).  François Marthouret is suitably ambiguous as the cop who allows Giradot to go on her killing spree and you wonder if his character's motivation for doing so is (a) sympathy for a grieving mother, (b) a desire to see gun-toting lowlife get what they deserve, or (c) a cynical attempt to reduce the workload for France's overstretched police force.  Paul Crauchet gives the film a shot of reality as the most believable character (Girardot's garage-owning friend), although it comes as no surprise that he ends up being caught in the crossfire.  Whilst his wide-eyed pusillanimity soon becomes wearisome, Bernard Brieux makes a sympathetic sidekick to Giradot, an amusing reversal of the tough guy and screaming heroine role.  That's one up for the feminists.

Bonnot directs the film with flair throughout but particularly comes into his own with the impressive action sequences.  The latter include a spectacular fight-to-the-death car duel (between Rambo Annie and her fourth victim) at the end of the film.  After this, it's hard to explain why Bonnot devoted the rest of his career to working in television.  Liste noire may be a tad shallow and hard to swallow, but it is an enjoyable noir-tinted fantasy, a veritable feast for all Annie Giradot fans.

Film Synopsis

David, Jacky and Nathalie are three teenage rebels who decide to hold up a bank.  The weaponry is provided by a man who, unbeknown to them, belongs to a gang that intends to use their hold up as a diversion for their own daylight heist.  The teenagers realise too late they have been used and narrowly escape capture by the police.  Intent on claiming a share of the stolen cash, they track the gangsters to their hideout but have not counted on the ruthlessness of their enemies.  Jacky is shot dead as he makes his demands and Nathalie takes a bullet as she and David make their escape.  David takes Nathalie to her mother, Jeanne Dufour, who hasn't seen her daughter for six months.  When Nathalie dies from her injuries, Jeanne makes up her mind to avenge her death...