Once Again, Exclamation Points In The Title Are No Indicator Of Quality

Tony Wright is in Marseilles to investigate a sunk freighter on behalf of an insurance company. There's also a formerly wealthy man who has apparently shot himself who has a substantial policy. The police are content to call it suicide, but Wright, is convinced it's murder, so he investigates against his client's interest. There are pretty girls, dangerous gamblers, and plenty of karate chops in this movie by William Rozier, based on a novel by the man who created Lemmy Caution.

It's a mediocre work, mostly because it doesn't make any sense, and neither do the solutions to the mysteries. Instead, it's bits and bobs that have been in other movies: a popular-style song, a karate-chopping detective, and so forth.

There are people who think the French make much better movies than Americans do. Here's an exhibit that proves they make bad movies too. We just don't to see as many of them because, well, people want to see good movies. It also raises the issue of the auteur theory of film making: if Godard and John Ford and Orson Welles are auteurs because they write a direct their own movies, then what are we to make of Edward D. Wood Jr., Abel Gance, and Willy Rozier, all of whom are held in low regard by the Cahiers de Cinema crowd? While it is true that the occasional genius can produce a great work of art operating without the front-office suits interfering with him, there are just as many mediocre auteurs and probably more bad ones; the suits like a track record that indicates competence. While Rozier's works in general and this one in particular are good enough to survive on a double or triple bill, this is one auteur that isn't making anyone gasp in pleasure.

French-language cinema, whether in France, Québec, or other Francophone regions, explores cultural identity, social change, and the tension between the individual and society. French cinema is not only celebrated for its intellectual experimentation and auteur traditions, but also its success in mainstream comedy, romance, and commercial entertainment. In Québec, films often focus on questions of language, belonging, and community within a distinct cultural landscape.

Jean-Pierre Léaud in The 400 Blows (1959)

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

A ship has sunk;insurance premium: a hundred million Francs.

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