Product Details

• Actors: Daniel Auteuil, Gerard Depardieu, André Dussollier, Roschdy Zem
• Directors: Olivier Marchal
• Format: Color, Import, Widescreen, NTSC, Subtitled
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Number of discs: 1
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000EDPRWE
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #191,001 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Slick Crime Thriller from France, Starring Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu, February 13, 2007

By 

Tsuyoshi (Kyoto, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: 36 Quai des Orfevres (Original French Version with English Subtitles) (DVD)

Paris' "36 Quai des Orfèvres" means London's Scotland Yard and this gritty French neo-noir is part inspired by real-life events that happened in January, 1985, according to the director Olivier Marchal, who formerly worked as police officer during the 1980s. The film stars Daniel Auteuil as Léo Vrinks, the leader of BRI, division of the Paris Police, and Gérard Depardieu as Denis Klein, head of BRB, another division of the same organization.

The premise looks familiar; Léo and Denis chase the same heavily-armed ruthless robbers who terrify the city, but Léo, who knows the underworld of Paris better than anyone, is always one step ahead of power-hungry Denis who desperately wants to arrest the criminals to get promoted. The intricate relations between the characters involve Camille (Valéria Golino), Léo's wife, to whom Denis seems still attached.

The tension slowly but steadily rises as the story unfolds, and when the gangsters are finally found, one of the characters does one unexpected thing, which triggers a chain reaction of the events beyond the ill-fated characters' control. Despite some unlikely behaviors of some characters and several coincidences, director Olivier Marchal (who briefly appears as one ex-convict Christo) did a fine job in keeping the tension and slick pace of the film throughout the story.

"36 Quai des Orfèvres" is a slick crime drama with tight storyline, supported by great performances from the actors, especially Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu. The film is not without predictable places, but still the intense conflict between the two leading characters is always fascinating to see.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Depardeu back at his best., April 6, 2006

By 

steve b (Dudley England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 36 Quai des Orfevres (Original French Version with English Subtitles) (DVD)

In the past the French have produced some great crime films, Rififi, Grisbi, Cercle Rouge and Le Doubos spring to mind. However in recent years if they have keep up this tradition, it has not come to the attention of the English speaking film watching world.

36 Quai des Orfevres (the French equivalent of Scotland Yard or Number One Police Plaza) may not come up to the standard of the very best of the past but it is certainly a film worth watching.

The story revolves arround two cops, Vrinks (Daniel Auteuil) and Klein (Gerald Depardeu). Each heads a section of the French police and both are keen to catch of gang of brutal armed robbers. It is clear that at one time they were friends and maybe rivals for the love of Vrinks' wife. Now they are bitter rivals willing to undermine each other in order to get the glory of catching the robbers. The prize of becoming the new Chief of Detectives for Paris is also behind their rivalry.

Both are ruthless and willing to step outside the law in order to catch trhe bad guys. For Klein however ambition as become all. Vrinks whatever his faults is still for the most part motivated by the need to catch criminals, even if he is willing to do some violent and illegal things to catch them.

Auteuil and Depardeu are perhaps the biggest male stars in French cinema today. Auteuil gives his usual fine performance, for Depardeu this is his best performance in years and proof of what a powerful actor he is. Without speaking he can convey more with a look or a glance that most actors can with a ten minute speech.

I am not sure that the English subtitles give a accurate translation from trhe French. Can it be that the robbers go to all that planing and cause all that mayhem for a paltry 100,000 Euros?

All in all a film worth 4 stars, it would have got five had Depardeu been in it more.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Action Film, February 23, 2006

By 

M. Adams "Crime film enthusiast" (South Orange, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 36 Quai des Orfevres (Original French Version with English Subtitles) (DVD)

Of the more than 300 21st-century films I have seen so far, this is the best. Vivid characters, believable situations, slam-bang action, brilliant acting by the entire cast, especially Daniel Auteuil. As with Jean-Pierre Melville's masterpieces, the film treats American noir themes existentially. Engrossing for every second. Cannot recommend it highly enough.