Big Take for ‘Bob’ Seminal 1955 Work by Melville Was Precursor to French New Wave by Ky N. Nguyen According to writer-director Jean-Pierre Melville, "‘Bob le Flambeur’ is not a pure police movie, but a comedy of manners." The seminal 1955 feature is both homage and parody of old French gangster flicks. The slang-filled dialogue is newly translated by Lenny Borger, who wrote the titles of "Rififi," last fall’s riveting French crime re-release. Though the casual atmosphere is unique for Melville, "Bob le Flambeur" still explores the typical Melville themes of gambling, crime, the gangster code of ethics, and fate. The sparkling new print showcases the film’s relentless, loose energy, reinforced by a jazzy, 1950s score. The freewheeling camerawork captures the stylish ambience of the sleazy Montmartre streets. Innovative camera angles include an overhead view of Bob pacing in his kitchen, the gamblers’ reflections off a dark window, and multiple-view coverage of a truck traveling around a circle. The limited usage of targeted, high-contrast lighting references both classic French movies and American film noir. Melville’s work was a precursor to the French New Wave, whose members viewed him as a spiritual godfather. He particularly influenced Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut. Unreleased in the United States until 1981, "Bob le Flambeur" can be viewed as a direct antecedent of Godard’s 1959 "Breathless"—with similarities in terms of cinematography, music, rhythm, dialogue, and milieu. "Bob le Flambeur" works both as a crime thriller and as a character study. Bob Montagne (Roger Duchesne) is an elegant reformed robber, sharply dressed in a trenchcoat and fedora. He lives on his winnings as an addicted gambler, a flambeur. As an informal king of the underworld, he knows just about everyone in the nightlife of Montmartre, especially the seedy Pigalle area. He’s even friendly with the police, getting rides in a patrol car from Inspector Ledru (Guy Decomble from Truffaut’s "The 400 Blows"). The likable Bob is very generous, spending time mentoring his protégé, Paolo (Daniel Cauchy). When low-life pimp Marc (Gerard Buhr) tries to recruit underage Anne (Isabelle Corey), Bob comes to her rescue. He takes her in but doesn’t take advantage of her. Instead, Paolo goes for Anne, who winds up being the femme fatale. Bob’s been on a long losing streak and is nearly broke. For a change of pace, he visits the Deauville casino, where he hears from a former colleague that there are about 800 million francs in the casino vault. In a plot line lifted from "The Asphalt Jungle," Bob devises an ill-fated plan for a big score. In a clever inversion, however, the audience actually roots for the robbery to fail. "Bob le Flambeur (Bob the Gambler)" (French with subtitles; 102 min.) plays at AFI through Sept. 5. ‘Holy Grail’ Redux Directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" represents the best of the wry and irreverent British comedy genre. With a sly wink at the added padding typical of restored classics, this new version promises a whopping 24 seconds of new footage. When the original was first released in the States in 1975, the legendary Monty Python comedy troupe was still a cult attraction in here. They have since developed a devoted following. Beware: Their brand of comedy can be an acquired taste. King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his faithful knights embark on a medieval Crusade, searching for the Holy Grail. Of course, many obstacles await the heroes on their quest for glory. Lacking a trusty steed, Arthur mimes riding a horse while his servant claps coconuts together to make the sounds of clapping hooves. Other highlights include classic Python songs, the knights who say "Ni," peasants bringing out the dead, and the dreaded black knight who won’t quit. The Python gags are verbal, physical, and visual—including animation a nd credits sequences. Playing multiple characters, Python regulars Chapman, John Cleese, Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Jones, and Gilliam all appear—shortly before their individual careers began to veer in different directions. "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" (English; 91 min.) opens Sept. 14 at Visions and in Sept. at P&G Old Greenbelt. Never Too Late for Love In today’s youth-centered media, it’s rare to come across a love story about the elderly. Dutch-born Australian director Paul Cox (1987’s "Vincent") brings us "Innocence," a tender romance about former young lovers reunited in the twilight of their lives. To illustrate his touching love story, Cox uses luminous cinematography such as a glowing sunset on the pier. Cox’s structure formally demonstrates that there’s effectively no difference between then and now. Semi-experimental flashback sequences give us revealing glimpses of the protagonists in their youth. Because of family objections, the young couple’s passionate love affair eventually breaks apart. Decades later, Andreas (Charles Tingwell), a widower for 30 years, contacts Claire (Julia Blake) when he finds out they’re living in the same city. Claire, who’s been stuck in a stagnant marriage to John (Terry Norris), agrees to meet Andreas. The sparks from their first love are rekindled, allowing each to love for the first time in decades. As before, family and other complications hinder the couple’s relationship. The three leads and supporting cast are uniformly superb in acting the well-written script. Interestingly, Cox developed this intimate project during a hiatus caused by technical problems during the shooting of the IMAX film, "The Hidden Dimension." "Innocence" (English; 93 min.) has a scheduled Sept. release in the Washington, DC area. ‘Rhapsody’: A Split Personality "An American Rhapsody" marks the writing and directing debut of veteran editor Éva Gardos. Her intensely personal semi-autobiographical story is more exciting than fiction. Beautifully photographed by Elemer Ragalyi, the Hungarian locations feel lush and alive. In the film’s vividly harrowing opening, Peter (Tony Goldwyn) and Margit (Nastassja Kinski) flee Budapest with their two children. The complicated scheme requires leaving baby Suzanne with grandmother, planning an eventual reunification that fails. Kinski believably expresses the anguish of a mother who’s striving to regain her child. Young Suzanne, who is raised by foster parents in the countryside, is eventually reunited with her family in Southern California, undergoing culture shock. Kelly Banlaki delivers an astonishingly unaffected performance as the 6-year-old suffering personal turmoil. The weakest part takes place when Suzanne is a rebellious teenager (Scarlett Johansson), throwing tantrums as if they were lazy daydreams. Margit suddenly becomes Mommie Dearest, straining dramatic credibility. The artificial drama pales in comparison to Banlaki’s subtle sensitivity. Finally, Suzanne returns to Budapest to search for her identity. Even though she apparently still manages working Hungarian, her foster parents and grandmother speak to her primarily in impeccable English they somehow learned behind the Iron Curtain. This inexplicable shift from the film’s earlier authenticity doesn’t help this section’s trite feeling. "A Hungarian Rhapsody" (English and Hungarian with subtitles; 107 min.) is now playing at the Cineplex Odeon Outer Circle. Old-Fashioned Haunted House Most modern horror films, especially those released by Dimension, are full of explicit violence and gore designed to pummel the viewer into disgust. With "The Others," Spanish director Alejandro Amenábar ("Thesis," "Open Your Eyes") crafts an elegant old-fashioned supernatural thriller where the scary beings are unseen. Refreshingly, Amenábar and cinematographer Javier Aguirresarobe rely on shadows and light, instead of special effects, to paint the thrills of the haunted house. Set during the last days of World War II, Grace (Nicole Kidman, resembling Grace Kelly in a nod to Hitchcock) shelters her children in a creepy Victorian mansion on the Nazi-occupied Isle of Jersey while her husband is away at war. After new servants arrive, spooky events occur that cannot be rationally explained. The young boy and girl suffer from an unusual affliction that causes hypersensitivity to sunlight, requiring the dark rooms they occupy to remain behind closed doors and windows. Aided by fine supporting performances, Kidman expresses frightening psychological terror as a protective mother nearing her wits’ end. Unfortunately, these satisfying elements don’t sufficiently compensate the patient viewer for an inadequate payoff, leaving an emptiness at the conclusion of this ambitious but flawed effort. "The Others" (English; 105 min.) is in wide release in the Washington, D.C., area. Repertory Notes Don’t miss the debut Embassy Films series, sponsored by The Washington Diplomat and Cultural Assets. Watch Washington, D.C., premieres at their country’s embassy Sept. 15 to 20. See the related article for details. The first annual Georgetown Independent Film Festival came to a successful conclusion. Several international entries won Georgies for their respective categories (http://www.georgetownfilmfest.com, 202-338-4300). The Ermanno Olmi retrospective concludes at the American Film Institute (http://www.afionline.org/nft, 202-785-4600), which hosts the Latin American Film Festival, cosponsored by many embassies, and the DC Labor FilmFest. La Maison Française (http://www.la-maison-francaise.com, 202-944-6091) will host the DC Labor Film Fest’s closing night (202-234-0040), The Smithsonian Associates (202-357-3030) series of new French cinema, and its fall film series. Martial Solal, who composed the score of Godard’s "Breathless" and is regarded as the greatest living European jazz pianist, plays a concert on Sept. 17. Retrospectives of French director Jacques Tati and Greek actress Melina Mercouri are showcased at the National Gallery of Art (http://www.nga.gov/programs/film.htm, 202-842-6799). The second annual survey of Turkish cinema begins at the Freer Gallery of Art (http://www.asia.si.edu/programs/film.htm, 202-357-2700). A new program of international cinema kicks off at the Library of Congress’s Mary Pickford Theater (http://www.loc.gov/pickford; 202-707-5677). Ky N. Nguyen is the film reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.