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Theatrical poster
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The thieves break into the house, open the safe, and escape with the jewels. A police detective, Abel Zacharia (Omar Sharif), spots the burglars’ car in front of the house. Azad chats with the detective telling a cover story of being a salesman. Zacharia leaves and Azad thinks he has gotten away with it.
The thieves plan to leave the country on a merchant ship. However, when they arrive at the dock they discover the ship is undergoing repairs and will not be ready. They hide the money, split up, and agree to wait out the delay.
Zacharia reappears, having decided to find and keep the emeralds himself.
Meanwhile, Azad falls in love with Lena (Dyan Cannon).
Zacharia identifies the thieves and kills Renzi, seeing to it that Ralph seems guilty of the crime.
Azad narrowly escapes the police with Lena, but he soon discovers that she is conspiring with Zacharia. Azad and Zacharia have a confrontation which results in Zacharia being buried under wheat.
David Goodis’ “The Burglar” had been published in 1953 and filmed in 1956. Goodis was popular with French filmmakers; his novel “Down There” had been adapted by François Truffaut as “Shoot the Piano Player” (1961).
Filming took place in Athens and Paris.
The film was a box office hit in France–the year’s sixth most popular movie.
Cast
Jean-Paul Belmondo as Azad
Omar Sharif as Abel Zacharia
Dyan Cannon as Lena Gripp’s
Robert Hossein as Ralph
Nicole Calfan as Helene
Myriam Feune de Colombi as Isabelle Tasco
Raoul Delfosse as Le gardien de la villa Tasco
José Luis de Vilallonga as Tasco
Renato Salvatori as Renzi
Credits:
Produced, directed by Henri Verneuil
Screenplay by Henri Verneuil and Vahé Katcha, based on The Burglar, 1953 novel by David Goodis
Produced by Henri Verneuil
Cinematography Claude Renoir
Edited by Pierre Gillette
Music by Ennio Morricone
Color process Eastmancolor
Production companies: Columbia Films
Distributed by Columbia Pictures
Release dates: October 27, 1971 (France); June 14, 1972 (USA)
Running time: 120 minutes
Budget 15 million francs
Box office $33 million
Note:
I am grateful to TCM for showing the movie on January 26, 2023.
