Roger Duchesne

Roger Duchesne's glances at the cards and handling of a cigarette make Bob's habits seem established before we meet him. In Jean-Pierre Melville's Bob le Flambeur (1956), the ageing gambler has a courtliness that never quite makes him respectable. Duchesne gives him assurance without repeatedly drawing attention to it. We can see why someone might enjoy his company without needing to endorse his occupation.

He had been playing supporting parts in French films since 1934, among them Tarass Boulba (1936) and Sacha Guitry's Le Roman d'un tricheur (1936). Melville's decision to put him at the centre of Bob le Flambeur gave that restrained manner room to hold a film together. It remains the role by which he is chiefly remembered. There was only one further film, Marchands de filles (1957), before he left acting.

We felt unexpectedly fond of Bob because Duchesne never pleaded for our affection. His composure lets the character's independence seem attractive without excusing what he does. Melville gets considerable pleasure from watching this man inhabit his nocturnal surroundings, and Duchesne suits a crime film prepared to spend time in company rather than hurry towards the next crisis. The lightness of Eddie Barclay and Jo Boyer's music helps keep that company from becoming too solemn.

There is a slightly old-fashioned stiffness to his manner, and the restraint can sometimes look self-conscious. In this particular part, the reserve is useful: Bob would lose much of his appeal if he explained himself at every opportunity. The film's uneven urgency is more troublesome, especially when other characters have to sustain our interest without Duchesne. His assurance cannot do all the work of building dramatic pressure. Start with Bob le Flambeur for the pleasure of his company, but choose an evening when a crime film need not keep you tense.