''Pasha'' () is a 1968 French crime film directed by

Georges Lautner Georges Lautner (; 24 January 1926 – 22 November 2013) was a French film director and screenwriter, known primarily for his comedies created in collaboration with screenwriter Michel Audiard. Lautner's ventures into other genres were less ...

that stars

Jean Gabin Jean Gabin (; 17 May 190415 November 1976) was a French actor and singer. Considered a key figure in French cinema, he starred in several classic films including ''Pépé le Moko'' (1937), '' La grande illusion'' (1937), ''Le Quai des brumes'' ...

and Dany Carrel and is based on the novel ''Pouce!'' by

Jean Laborde Jean Laborde (16 October 1805 in Auch - 27 December 1878 in Mantasoa, Madagascar) was an adventurer and early industrialist in Madagascar. He became the chief engineer of the Merina monarchy, supervising the creation of a modern manufacturing cent ...

. It tells the story of a senior Paris policeman pursuing a ruthless killer. Filming began on 14 November 1967 and ended in December the same year, with release on 14 March 1968.

Plot

Six months off retirement from the Paris police, Commissioner Joss is faced with a troubling case. His lifelong friend, Inspector Gouvion, was the only survivor when a valuable consignment of gems was lifted by a violent criminal known as Quinquin, who killed not only the rest of the escorts but the three men in his gang as well. Then Gouvion is shot dead in his apartment: it could be accident or suicide, but Joss is sure it must be murder. Despite huge efforts, he can't find Quinquin but he does find the body of one of his murdered colleagues. This was Léon, whose attractive sister Nathalie works in a night club. She admits to having known Gouvion, in fact to be being kept by him, and it was to fund his passion for her that he co-operated with Quinquin. That ended with his death, and Joss is determined to avenge his foolish old friend. So is Nathalie, who has lost both brother and lover, but when she goes with a gun to Quinquin's hideout, he shoots her too. For Joss, the wraps are now off and he is going to get Quinquin dead rather than alive. Putting heavy pressure on his sources, he learns that Quinquin is going to rob a mail train and take the proceeds to a deserted sugar refinery. Waiting there, he personally finishes off Quinquin and in a gun battle his men kill the rest of the gang.

Cast

as Comissaire Joss, le Pacha * Dany Carrel as Nathalie Villar * Jean Gaven as Marc *

André Pousse André Pousse (20 October 1919 – 9 September 2005) was a noted French actor and, in his youth, also a notable cyclist. Biography While primarily known as a leading French actor, André Pousse began his professional career as a cyclist (prima ...

as Quinquin *

Louis Arbessier Louis Arbessier (9 April 190723 March 1998) was a French film and television actor.Goble p.122 He played Napoleon III in the 1952 musical film '' Imperial Violets.'' Amongst his television roles was that of Maigret. Arbessier was married and di ...

as Le directeur chez Boucheron *

Gérard Buhr Gérard Buhr (8 May 19288 January 1988) was a French film and television actor. Selected filmography * ' (1950) * ''Quai de Grenelle'' (1950) - Petit rôle (uncredited) * '' Beware of Blondes'' (1950) - Un journaliste (uncredited) * ''Monte Car ...

as Arsène * Robert Dalban as Inspecteur Gouvion *

Maurice Garrel Maurice Garrel (24 February 1923 – 4 June 2011) was a French film actor. Garrel was born in Saint-Servais, Isère. He appeared in over a hundred films and was nominated twice for a César Award for best supporting actor: in 1991 for '' ...

as Brunet *

Pierre Koulak Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

as Marcel le Coréen * Pierre Leproux as Druber * Frédéric de Pasquale as Alfred * André Weber as Gino * Serge Gainsbourg as himself

Reception

Censorship issues

The French Board of censorship was outraged by the violence of certain scenes in the film as well as by one particular Gainsbourg’s song in the soundtrack, with its vulgar and cynical lyrics (literally ’Requiem for a cunt’), which led to the film being rated for Adults only at its release in 1968. Lautner had to hurry and edit some scenes so that the film might be distributed with a rating allowing spectators over 13 years of age.

Critical response

Le Monde ''Le Monde'' (; ) is a French daily afternoon newspaper. It is the main publication of Le Monde Group and reported an average circulation of 323,039 copies per issue in 2009, about 40,000 of which were sold abroad. It has had its own website si ...

'' found that the film showed too much self-indulgence and vulgarity but that its ’American’ cinematographic aspects and its novelty were worth praising.

References

External links

* * {{Michel Audiard 1968 crime films 1968 films Films based on French novels Films directed by Georges Lautner French crime films 1960s French-language films Films with screenplays by Michel Audiard Films with screenplays by Albert Simonin Films scored by Serge Gainsbourg Gaumont Film Company films 1960s French films