Melville’s first original script is a love letter to both Paris and the heist movie. Ageing gangster Bob (Roger Duchesne) and his acolytes roam the streets and cafes of Montmartre as they plan to crack the safe in the Deauville casino. On the big night, though, Bob is busy gambling . . . Melville’s romantic tribute to pre-war Paris, to male bonding and to the iconic Hollywood gangster was one of the major influences on the French New Wave. Neil Jordan’s recent The Good Thief was also adapted from Melville’s film.