Marc a French playboy has committed the ultimate sin, he beds the wife of a criminal lord in New York. With his injured pride as a cuckold, the man orders to bring him his head on a silver platter so he can enjoy his revenge and to satisfy his ego. Trouble is Marc has decamped New York and now is playing on the French Riviera. The men sent to get him locate him, but Marc is able to escape, finding refuge among the poor being fed at a local church, where he is not going to be found.
Marc fates changes when Barbara, one wealthy American woman comes to the mission where he has been staying accompanied by her cousin Melinda, whom she uses as her personal maid. Through Melinda, Barbara offers Marc a job at her rich villa as a chauffeur. Thinking it is the best solution to his problems, Marc accepts the invitation, but little does he know about what awaits him at Barbara's palatial home which hides a well kept secret, one in which Marc will play a principal role.
"Les felins" is based on an American pulp fiction paperback, written by Day Keene, an obscure author whose work is hardly known these days. The great Rene Clement knew a thing, or two, about making films and saw the potential of this story for his reunion with Alain Delon after their success on "Plein soleil", a triumph of great artistic proportions. Here Mr. Clement worked with Pascal Jardin and Charles Williams in a screenplay that captured the essence of Mr. Keene's novel.
Working with the great cinematographer Henri Decae, a favorite of a lot of the New Wave directors, Mr. Clement gets the proper atmosphere for the film. Lalo Schifrin contributed with a jazzy score that serves the movie well. Mr. Clement casting of the two principal female roles went to two American actresses, Jane Fonda, who was starting in French movies, as Melinda, and the wonderful Lola Albright, playing the deceiving Barbara, a woman who is hiding a deep secret. Alain Delon is Marc, the gigolo being sought by the Americans in one of his best screen appearances, in a film long forgotten.
The director also brought a few American actors to play the heavies in their unusual style. We see Carl Studer, Sorrell Brooke and George Gaynes among the supporting cast, in a film that should not be missed by fans of the excellent Rene Clement.
Marc fates changes when Barbara, one wealthy American woman comes to the mission where he has been staying accompanied by her cousin Melinda, whom she uses as her personal maid. Through Melinda, Barbara offers Marc a job at her rich villa as a chauffeur. Thinking it is the best solution to his problems, Marc accepts the invitation, but little does he know about what awaits him at Barbara's palatial home which hides a well kept secret, one in which Marc will play a principal role.
"Les felins" is based on an American pulp fiction paperback, written by Day Keene, an obscure author whose work is hardly known these days. The great Rene Clement knew a thing, or two, about making films and saw the potential of this story for his reunion with Alain Delon after their success on "Plein soleil", a triumph of great artistic proportions. Here Mr. Clement worked with Pascal Jardin and Charles Williams in a screenplay that captured the essence of Mr. Keene's novel.
Working with the great cinematographer Henri Decae, a favorite of a lot of the New Wave directors, Mr. Clement gets the proper atmosphere for the film. Lalo Schifrin contributed with a jazzy score that serves the movie well. Mr. Clement casting of the two principal female roles went to two American actresses, Jane Fonda, who was starting in French movies, as Melinda, and the wonderful Lola Albright, playing the deceiving Barbara, a woman who is hiding a deep secret. Alain Delon is Marc, the gigolo being sought by the Americans in one of his best screen appearances, in a film long forgotten.
The director also brought a few American actors to play the heavies in their unusual style. We see Carl Studer, Sorrell Brooke and George Gaynes among the supporting cast, in a film that should not be missed by fans of the excellent Rene Clement.