“I was born with an ace in my palm.” As Bob would say. Bob Le Flambeur (aka Bob the Gambler) is a film made early in the career of French director Jean-Pierre Melville. Bob was played with low-key elegance by Roger Duchesne. Bob is essentially a loner surrounded with a loyal exclusive group of people who share the same interests. Bob has a serious flaw and as the title suggests, Bob’s weakness is his gambling addiction. He gambles anything from cards, dice to harness racing, if he can bet or play the odds, he does. He is a smooth guy and very well liked by many. He is very well known by many in the casino, around town and even by the police.
The way that Bob puts together a team to rob the Deauville Casino reminds me of George Clooney in Ocean’s eleven as he orchestrated a crew to rob a casino.
This low-tech, but infinitely practical approach appears throughout the film. There are no fancy camera angles, no flashbacks or flash-forwards just a gritty, rich black and white realism that captures the colorful glitter and cheap glamour of the nightlife.
The most amazing thing about the movie is the ending. Bob just can’t help himself and it ends up costing him.
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