Le Choc [Shock] ** (1982, Alain Delon, Catherine Deneuve, Philippe Léotard) – Classic Movie Review 7258

The first shock in the 1982 thriller film Le Choc [Shock] is comes from seeing Catherine Deneuve as a turkey farmer and the second shock is when she finds a hitman (Alain Delon) hiding among her fowl.

Director Robin Davis’s 1982 French thriller Le Choc [Shock] is more schlock than shock, but it is notable for the performances of the ionic attractive leads (Alain Delon, Catherine Deneuve, Philippe Lèotard, Stéphane Audran), its tough atmosphere and its occasionally sharp script from the novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette. The adaptation for the screen is by Robin Davis, Alain Delon, Dominique Robelet and Claude Veillot.

The film’s first shock comes from seeing Catherine Deneuve as a turkey farmer and the second shock is when she finds hitman Martin ‘Christian’ Terrier (Alain Delon) hiding among her fowl.

Wanting to retire against the orders of his mob boss, Christian visits his accountant Jeanne Faulques (Stéphane Audran) but finds she has invested much of his money in a turkey farm. He heads there and makes love to Claire (Catherine Deneuve), who runs the farm with her husband Félix (Philippe Lèotard). Suddenly killers arrive at the farm…

Le Choc [Shock] [Contract in Blood] is routine and a bit of a muddle, but there is enough of the required elements of action, crime and romance to keep it watchable, as well as the allure of Delon and Deneuve still in their prime.

Its cameraman Pierre-William Glenn said: ‘Le Choc is a film that started too fast and whose preparation was not sufficient.’

Also in the cast are Jean-Louis Richard, Catherine Leprince, Etienne Chicot, François Perrot, Féodor Atkine and Alexandra Stewart.

Catherine Deneuve and Alain Delon also starred together in Jean-Pierre Melville’s Un Flic (1972).

Le Choc [Shock] [Contract in Blood] is directed by Robin Davis, runs 100 minutes, is made by Sara Films and T Films, is released by UGC, is written by Robin Davis, Alain Delon, Dominique Robelet and Claude Veillot, based on the novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette, is shot in Fujicolor by Pierre-William Glenn, is produced by Alain Sarde and Alain Terzian, is scored by Philippe Sarde and designed by Serge Douy.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7258

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Catherine Deneuve and Alain Delon in Jean-Pierre Melville’s Un Flic (1972).