In Paris, Louis Bertain (Jean Gabin) is the owner of a legitimate garage business, but secretly is the chief of a gang of thieves composed by the sadistic Pepito (Lino Ventura); the coward Frédo (Paul Frankeur); and Raymond, the sailor (Jean Bérard). Louis is a bon-vivant that lives with his mother Ms. Bertain (Gina Niclos) and his young brother Pierre (Marcel Bozzufi), who is a small-time forger that is on probation. When Pierre visits his girlfriend in Paris, the easy manicurist Hélène (Annie Girardot de la Comédie Française), he breaks his parole and the police tries to force him to become an informer, but Pierre declines the offer. While planning the next rob with Pepito, Louis notes that Pierre has overheard their conversation, but Pierre denies. The robbery goes awry, with two murders, and the police arrest Louis that finds who has denounced them. But Pepito believes Pierre did and is hunting him down.
"Le rouge est mis" (1957), a.k.a. "Speaking of Murder" is a great French gangster movie. The excellent Jean Gabin is perfect as the respected chief of a gang that believes in loyalty and is betrayed by one of his gangsters that the psychopath Pepito had advised that should have been killed since he is a coward man. The plot has a female fatale, Hélène; therefore, it may be considered a neo-noir. The beauty of Annie Girardot is impressive. The pace, the running time and the conclusion are perfect for the story. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Gângsteres de Paris" ("Gangsters from Paris")
