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The Red Circle

Play trailer Poster for The Red Circle 1970 2h 25m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
96% Tomatometer 67 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
When French criminal Corey (Alain Delon) gets released from prison, he resolves to never return. He is quickly pulled back into the underworld, however, after a chance encounter with escaped murderer Vogel (Gian Maria Volonte). Along with former policeman and current alcoholic Jansen (Yves Montand), they plot an intricate jewel heist. All the while, quirky Police Commissioner Mattei (Bourvil), who was the one to lose custody of Vogel, is determined to find him.
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The Red Circle

The Red Circle

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Critics Consensus

Melville is at the top of his game, giving us his next-to-last entry into the world of deception, crime, and extreme suspense that made him a maestro of the French heist genre.

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Critics Reviews

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Derek Malcolm Guardian 10/24/2023
Once again, Melville and his cinematographer, Henri Decae, have achieved something that's very nice to look at and also tightly enough constructed to follow with interest throughout. There is, in particular, a superb jewel robbery sequence. Go to Full Review Richard Brody The New Yorker 06/21/2021
Grimly elegant... Go to Full Review David Parkinson Empire Magazine 12/30/2006
4/5
A classic cornerstone of the heist genre from a master of the nouvelle vague. Go to Full Review Arthur Thirkell Daily Mirror (UK) 10/24/2023
This entertaining French-made film has no frills, but plenty of thrills. Go to Full Review George Melly Observer (UK) 10/24/2023
There's a lot of happenstance, but it's tautly directed, and the individual crooks and cops, while fond of Gallic platitudes, are well observed. Go to Full Review Madeleine Harmsworth Sunday Mirror (UK) 10/24/2023
French thriller, full of holes, with a reasonably ingenious robbery sequence halfway through. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Gabriel KP. B @elkpllan_ Nov 25 Qué gran película. Me encanta el montaje. La sensación de angustia persiste a lo largo de la historia; creo que los personajes tuvieron una suerte excepcional ¡Qué obra maestra! Técnica limpia y eterna. Una película cautivadora que deja una huella imborrable desde el primer momento. Fácil de ver e interpretar con una premisa muy solida y bien desarrollada. Pongo énfasis en la actuación y la dirección; el silencio siempre jugará un papel importante en mis historias favoritas, la acción. Recursos efectivos que se adaptan a todos los contextos de cada escena, así como la construcción de cada personaje, es fantástico. Lo que no vemos y no sabemos es un recurso que esta película explota muchísimo, convirtiéndola en una experiencia bastante única. No es lo único que diré de esta película. See more Stephen C @bob25009 06/09/2025 Success in 2 hours and 25 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love crime drama movies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In French (France) and English versions with English subtitles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more bob c @RT46426964 04/01/2025 Very good French gangster heist movie that has aged very well. See more 03/29/2022 Maxi-cool French crime drama, drawn out quietly by Melville, aided by quintessential performances by Delon, Bourvil and Montand. The trench coats, the cigarettes, the jazz, c'est typique; the 40 minute silent robbery, quite something else. A Buddhist inspired, American western tribute piece set in a very masculine France. There are many essays on what it means: chance, fate, life - a little impenetrable but an essential watch. See more Leaburn O @RT35452347 10/02/2021 A well made noire in colour. Mission d'impossible is pulled off by Melville's usual cool customer criminals before the inevitable head's up with the police. Decent film, particularly the crime scene which is full of tension. See more david f @dfulmer 11/29/2020 I loved the stripped down style, the tons of atmosphere, and the long, slow, silent jewelry robbery near the end. This is a stylish, fatalistic thriller made by a master. See more Read all reviews
The Red Circle

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Cast & Crew

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Jean-Pierre Melville

Director

Yves Montand

Jansen

Alain Delon

Corey

Bourvil

Le Commissaire Mattei

Gian Maria Volonté

Vogel

Paul Crauchet

Le Receleur

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The Red Circle

The Red Circle (1970) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When French criminal Corey (Alain Delon) gets released from prison, he resolves to never return. He is quickly pulled back into the underworld, however, after a chance encounter with escaped murderer Vogel (Gian Maria Volonte). Along with former policeman and current alcoholic Jansen (Yves Montand), they plot an intricate jewel heist. All the while, quirky Police Commissioner Mattei (Bourvil), who was the one to lose custody of Vogel, is determined to find him.
Director
Jean-Pierre Melville
Screenwriter
Jean-Pierre Melville
Distributor
Rialto Pictures
Production Co
Selenia Cinematografica, Les Films Corona
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 2, 1970, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jan 10, 2003
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 8, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$58.1K
Runtime
2h 25m
Sound Mix
Mono