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Information
- A.k.a.
- Coup de Torchon
- Year
- 1981
- Runtime
- 128 min.
- Director
- Bertrand Tavernier
- Genres
- Crime, Drama, Comedy
- Rating *
- 7.6
- Votes *
- 3,643
- Checks
- 871
- Favs
- 65
- Dislikes
- 11
- Favs/checks
- 7.5% (1:13)
- Favs/dislikes
- 6:1
Top comments
-
_e_
A clever adaptation of a Jim Thompson novel, with the plot being transposed to 1930's French West Africa. It depicts a corrupt and at times brutal society but despite the story being quite dark, (mostly bitter) humour is consistently present throughout the movie. Great acting all around. 10 years 4 months ago -
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Siskoid
To translate Coup de torchon's title into English here, it means giving something a wipe, so the idea of cleaning up... a town (of its evil doers), after one's own crimes, one's soul (well, that's as maybe), one's bottom (open-air latrines do feature)... but as the word "torchon" means "rag", it's not a deep clean. You're just wiping with something that's dirty in and of itself. Bertrand Tavernier sets his adaptation of the psychotic vigilante western Pop.1280 in pre-WWII French-colonized Africa, and casts sympathetic Philippe Noiret as an ineffectual and ambivalent law man in what is essentially a lawless, and atrociously racist, country. After many everyday humiliations, he finally snaps and starts bumping off the filth, his genius is how he covers up his crimes. At once a meditation of morality and a caustically funny satire (just look at the military officer, for example), Coup de torchon also provides a snapshot of French West Africa in the 30s as a greater commentary on colonialism and how evil can only beget evil. Still haven't completely wrapped my head around the film's bookends though. 2 years 4 months ago
Friends
Login to see which of your friends have seen this movie!In 6 official lists
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This movie ranks #76 in Time Out's The 100 Best French Films
Time Out's The 100 Best …
76 -
This movie ranks #76 in Time Out’s The 100 Best Thrillers
Time Out’s The 100 Best …
76 -
This movie ranks #127 in The Criterion Collection
The Criterion Collection
127 -
This movie ranks #141 in Academy Award - Best International Feature Film Nominees
Academy Award - Best Int…
141 -
This movie ranks #221 in Doubling the Canon
Doubling the Canon
221 -
This movie ranks #593 in TSPDT's 1,000 Noir Films
TSPDT's 1,000 Noir Films
593