Pepe Le Moko
dir. Duvivier
Opens Fri March 22
Cinema 21
Recently restored, the 1937 French film Pepe Le Moko tells the story of a dapper and notorious gangster who has taken refuge in the Casbah neighborhood of Algiers. A labyrinth of staircases, whitewashed abodes, and gypsy families, the seaside neighborhood serves as a lush backdrop for the film, as well as the perfect safe haven for Pepe, a jewel thief on the lam from Paris.
The premise of the film is simple: The police are determined to capture Pepe. But as long as he stays within his protective anthill of thieves and gypsies in the Casbah, the long arm of the law cannot reach him.
The port city is a captivating setting for what is essentially a longwinded, psychological chase movie. Back staircases lead to rooftop chase scenes set against a romantic panorama of the Mediterranean Sea. Both detailed and mysterious, the film unfolds like a travel guide to pre-World War II Algiers, punctuated with treachery and drama.
Physically, the Casbah is a confusing fun house that maddens the police’s effort to snare Pepe. But worse yet for their pursuits, Pepe’s fellow resident thieves, crooks, and libidinal women are too willing to join in cahoots with him against the police. As detectives try to coax Pepe out of the neighborhood and Pepe tries to block their efforts, the story turns into a gentlemanly–and at times psychological–chess match.
It is a gallant and good-natured game. Even his archenemy, a local hard-working detective, Slimane, forms a charming relationship with Pepe. Visiting daily the very fugitive he is trying to capture, the hunter and hunted match wits, break bread, and truly respect each other for their respective cunning.
Compared to slick, modern-day spy thrillers, Pepe Le Moko‘s storyline is jumpy, and there are no elaborate stunts–just confrontation of characters. But compared to contemporary cinematic standards, Pepe Le Moko is truly an elegant film, where the gangsters rely less on the caliber of their gun than on their cunning and brainpower.