Desafio a la ley

As 'Roman-Policiers' go this is pretty good with its muted tones and sense of period and of Jacques Deray's output is the one that comes nearest to the style of Jean-Pierre Melville although one can never beat the original! It stars Alain Delon who made nine films with Deray and filmed the last of his three with Melville in 1972.

Roger Borniche who died last year at 101, utilised his experiences as a Police Inspector to inform his series of crime novels. This film deals with his most famous exploit in which he uses his resourcefulness and unorthodox methods to capture Emile Buisson, France's Public Enemy number 1 of 1950.

Delon is at the height of his popularity here and although far too attractive as Borniche he brings his customary 'edge' and aura of unpredictability to the role which I think is one of his best.

Everyone loves a villain so they say, not least actors(!) and the superlative Jean-Louis Trintignant relishes the role of psychopath Buisson. Being a thoroughly bad boy he naturally exerts a fascination over the female of the species and even Borniche's partner played by Claudine Auger, remarks on his lovely eyes!

As expected there are plenty of interesting 'types' here and mention must be made of Paul Crauchet who impresses as a petty criminal forced to turn informer.

An extra dimension is added here in the relationship that develops between Borniche and Buisson during the lengthy interrogations that take place after Buisson's arrest. It has been suggested that policemen have an inverted criminal mentality and here Borniche certainly adopts some highly questionable methods to get his man. These two characters could be said to represent both sides of the same coin. It is, according to Borniche, the childhood of Buisson that made his life of crime inevitable. The question as to whether it is Nature or Nurture or indeed a combination of both that makes us what we are is unlikely ever to be resolved.