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Pépé le moko

Play trailer Poster for Pépé le moko 1941 1h 34m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 33 Reviews 87% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Pépé le Moko (Jean Gabin), one of France's most wanted criminals, hides out in the Casbah section of Algiers. He knows police will be waiting for him if he tries to leave the city. When Pépé meets Gaby Gould (Mireille Balin), a gorgeous woman from Paris who is lost in the Casbah, he falls for her. She also reminds him of all the things he loves about Paris. Even as Pépé knows he is being trailed by Inspector Slimane (Lucas Gridoux), he considers a future with Gaby.

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Pépé le moko

Critics Reviews

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Peter Bradshaw Guardian Sep 11
5/5
It is powerful, muscular film-making, one of the great romantic dramas. Go to Full Review Variety Staff Variety 04/27/2009
Interesting movement holds through the entirety. Life in the native quarter, with its squalor and intrigues, is particularly well presented and photographed. Go to Full Review Melissa Anderson Time Out 02/09/2006
Film noir as we know (and love) it is just around the corner from here. Go to Full Review Yasser Medina Cinefilia 01/13/2024
7/10
Duvivier frames it as a tragic and moving melodrama that, following the specificity of poetic realism, finds its strength in the dazzling performance of Jean Gabin and in the orientalist atmospheres of Algiers's Casbah. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand 11/18/2023
[Jean] Gabin is marvelous as the confident yet restless Pepe, a cultured man equal parts elegance and edgy brutality at home in this urban jungle but restless to escape. Go to Full Review Henry Stewart Brooklyn Magazine 07/20/2016
It's about Paris--though not a single scene is either set or shot there. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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William L @RT77267842 02/14/2021 A stylish sort of pre-noir that combines a claustrophobic setting and atmosphere with a slick depiction of the gentleman criminal, Pépé le Moko presents a conflicted protagonist that is charismatic, romantic, at times empathetic, but without a doubt villainous and self-serving. There is a smooth quality to the cinematography and transitions, and much of the film would serve as a mold for decades of similar films - a complex lead, tortured romantic interests, exotic locales, a backdrop of conflict, and a violent resolution. That said, the film has limitations in its less than consistent storyline, often slightly overbearing storyline, but it's still got an undeniable slickness to it all. (3.5/5) See more s r @ScottR 01/15/2018 1001 movies to see before you die. A great French criminal film showing the ruffians in the casbah of Algiers. See more scott s @RT53910647 07/28/2016 Not my favorite film with Jean Gabin but he does put on a great performance. See more 04/18/2016 debut of gr8 french actor jean gabin who plays bad so good but plot seems alot like charles boyer's 'algiers' oh yeah cos its a remake! See more 01/10/2016 It's technically sound, but poetic realism bores me. See more 10/10/2015 not enough pepe the froh See more Read all reviews
Pépé le moko

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Cast & Crew

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Julien Duvivier

Director

Jean Gabin

Pépé le Moko

Mireille Balin

Gaby Gould

Gabriel Gabrio

Carlos

Lucas Gridoux

Inspecteur Slimane

Line Noro

Inès

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Pépé le moko

Pépé le moko (1937) Pépé le moko (1937) Pépé le moko (1937) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Pépé le Moko (Jean Gabin), one of France's most wanted criminals, hides out in the Casbah section of Algiers. He knows police will be waiting for him if he tries to leave the city. When Pépé meets Gaby Gould (Mireille Balin), a gorgeous woman from Paris who is lost in the Casbah, he falls for her. She also reminds him of all the things he loves about Paris. Even as Pépé knows he is being trailed by Inspector Slimane (Lucas Gridoux), he considers a future with Gaby.
Director
Julien Duvivier
Producer
Raymond Hakim
Screenwriter
Jacques Constant
Distributor
Criterion Collection, Rialto Pictures
Genre
Drama
Original Language
French (France)
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 3, 1941, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 28, 2019
Box Office (Gross USA)
$153.9K
Runtime
1h 34m