Un Flic

1972, Jean-Pierre Melville's final film, with Alain Delon
And an excellent one it is as well. Simple, stripped down, with little hints at a personal life, little gestures and single scenes. Delon's wondrous body, almost a hangdog face. Him opposite Deneuve is almost fantasy casting, though one would say her role is 'underwritten', exccept that would imply it was written at all.
This film has the straight on scenes in the car, including a wonderful final shot, where the study of the face allowed is remakable. Indeed, throughout the work I have seen Melville often uses straight-on framings or as near as straight-on, especially when opposing to interlocurs in shot-reverse, that allows a study of the laconic actors without having to take too much time about it.
This is clearly a Melville film, with the gangster's look, the blue and the faded colour non-saturation. There are also the swoops in and out, the willingness not to cut. Saying that, this film is less classically elegant than before, often adopting a claustrophobic, close-up, handheld style. This is effective in the remarkable train sequence. The slightly stagey aspect of the outdoor scenes adds a wonderful sense of irreality, yet the huge time taken over the job, the care and attention, is fasinating, relished, and gloriously milked.
Melville really did not drop a beat here; visually stylish, engrossing, gloriously enjoyable.