A French whodunit rooted firmly in the gritty streets of New York City, "Two Men in Manhattan" is a deliciously unique film noir gem.
When a French UN delegate turns up missing, Moreau, a renegade journalist, and Delmas, a scotch-swigging photographer, team up to tackle the case. Writer/director Jean-Pierre Melville stars as Moreau, in what would be the only onscreen role of his career. Pierre Grasset plays Delmas, who turns heel at the climax of the film and ultimately flips the script on the good cop/bad cop dynamic between him and Moreau.
Drawing upon common themes of 1950s gumshoe pictures, "Two Men in Manhattan" is intrinsically smart and devilishly cool in its presentation. A perfect pairing of the American Noir and French New Wave stylings, the film borrows the best qualities from each genre and melds them together to create a uniquely beautiful product. There's a flighty jazz accompaniment played in the background throughout the movie, which pairs well with the quirky, and at times erotic, nature of the film.
Aside from the two lead characters, "Two Men in Manhattan" does a superb job of highlighting the city as a secondary character. Through the use of brilliant cinematography, the film doubles as both a crime mystery and a jet-setting tour of New York's seedy underbelly. From delving into secret brothels to hitting the pavement down at Times Square, the film encompasses the highs and lows of the big city.
Crime films are as much a part of Americana as baseball and apple pie. It just so happens that Melville managed to perfectly replicate this style. Taking a look back at a long-since forgotten genre such as noir, it's hard to deny the pure aesthetics of it all. Despite being told in French, "Two Men in Manhattan" still oozes American noir. The black-and-white atmosphere set against the purely American jazz soundtrack, and contrasted with the French dialogue, makes for an original experience unlike any other from the genre.
With the release of "Two Men in Manhattan" on Blu-ray, film noirds patent pending) everywhere can finally enjoy this lost gem in fully remastered form. Included on the Blu-ray are a slew of features, including a conversation between critics Jonathon Rosenbaum and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky and an essay by Melville scholar Ginette Vincendeau.
Film: 4 Yaps Extras: 2.5 Yaps