In Melville’s Le Cercle Rouge, he initiates the film with a made up Buddhist saying stating that all men who are destined to meet will meet, which also refers to the films title.  The ‘Buddhist saying’ plants a seed in the audience's mind, which will have great consequence for the film's characters as they cannot escape their destiny.  The saying also brings a philosophical debate in regards to existentialism through a band of criminals and a police force.  Two of the characters whose future seems to be linked are Corey (Alain Delon) and Vogel (Gian Maria Volonté), both criminals.  Corey is freshly released after having had served time in prison and he does not waste time as he gets back into his previous ruts as he robs an old associate and buys a car.  The other character, Vogel, is transported handcuffed as he is approaching the prison where about to serve time, but he succeeds in escaping and manages to avoid the police by hiding in the trunk of Corey’s car.  Thus, the two men’s fates to meet is sealed.

Corey drives out into a secluded area of the woods where he asks Vogel to exit the trunk as he steps back from the car.  Corey is also aware of a gun that was hidden in the trunk, which might have been recovered by his passenger.  When Vogel steps out there is a moment of silence as the two men study each other’s appearances and actions, as a distrusting pet would smell a stranger.  This moment portrays the distrustful code in which criminals coexist and the meaning in which they find a purpose in life.  In essence, the moment represents the red circle that has been connected as these two men were meant to meet.  This leads both men to Paris where they begin to plan a jewel heist, which requires further help from a team of professionals in the field.

The police are in full force searching for the escaped Vogel that eluded Police Captain Mattei (Bourvil).  A rather upset Mattei is determined to recover Vogel as he has a strong sense of purpose in life, which is now spiced up since Vogel escaped.  Fatigued Mattei returns to his small apartment where he feeds his cats and tries recover physically and emotionally as he recognizes the severity of having lost Vogel under his watch.  The return to the apartment displays Mattei’s purpose as it illustrates Mattei’s personality through his actions and the mise-en-scene, which brilliantly depicts his values.

Melville diffuses the drawn line between the criminal element and the law enforcement as he depicts a symbiotic like atmosphere between the two.  In addition, the point that there is an overlapping between the two worlds comes across even more strongly through a dialogue between the Police Chief and Mattei.  In the conversation, the Police Chief says, “And don't forget: All guilty.” Mattei asks, “Even policemen?” The police chief responds, “All men, Mr. Mattei.”  This cynical perspective of mankind brings a humane side to people, as all people will make mistakes throughout life as Mattei did when he lost Vogel.

Le Cercle Rouge is a string of awesome scenes that is tied together into a brilliant cinematic experience.  The star-studded (Alain Delon, Gian Maria Volonté, and Yves Montand) cast does not become the wheel for the story’s success, but the cinematic narration under Melville’s direction does.  The direction exhibits meticulous orientation of details as the actions of the characters, the script, the mise-en-scene, the camerawork, and the sound comes together into marvelous concoction of philosophical insights, suspense, and fate.

DIRECTED BY

Jean-Pierre Melville

COUNTRY

France / Italy

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