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36 Quai des Orfèvres (film)
Encyclopedia
36 Quai des Orfèvres is a 2004 French
film directed by Olivier Marchal
and starring Daniel Auteuil
and Gérard Depardieu
. The film takes place in Paris
, where two cops (Auteuil and Depardieu) are competing for the vacant seat of Chief of Police
while involved in a search for a gang of violent thieves. The film is directed by Olivier Marchal, a former police officer who spent 12 years in the French police before creating this story, which in part is taken from real events which occurred during the 1980s in France (see the gang des postiches arrest). The film was nominated for eight César Award
s.
and Denis Klein, head of the BRB
. Both want to catch a vicious gang of armoured-car robbers that have killed nine people. But the announcement that the position of Chief of Police
in Paris
is available, the rivalry pushes Klein to play dirty in order to get the promotion.
Vrinks is a good investigative detective with a loyal cadre of detectives and officers, and who uses criminals to provide information. Klein, who has questionable ethics, is not so accomplished. Vrinks also helps people, in particular a prostitute who is raped and beaten by a criminal who was robbing the bar that she was employed at. Vrinks and his team kidnap the man and drive him out to the forest for punishment; the gangster is stripped naked and given a mock execution, before being pushed into a shallow grave and warned to never go near her again. Unfortunately, Vrinks' methods catch up with him when he is tricked by Silien, an incarcerated informant on day release, into being the unwitting getaway driver in the murder of one of Silien's criminal colleagues (the gangster's testimony had sent Silien to prison). However, the assassinated gangster was also one of Klein's informants. In a quid pro quo
exchange of providing Silien with an alibi and to buy Vrinks' silence, he tells the detective where the armoured-car gang is hiding.
Vrinks and his team stake out the factory, with Klein's team acting as backup. But when they are on the verge of catching all the robbers after patient planning and surveillance, Klein ignores procedure and radio orders, and drunkenly comes out of hiding. The gang use this to spark a firefight, which results in the death of Vrinks' best friend and the kidnapping of a detective as a hostage.
An internal investigation is launched into the botched operation. But Klein avoids censure for his behaviour by finding a witness to Silien's murder (a prostitute and illegal immigrant who needs help) who saw Vrinks at the murder scene. Vrinks is arrested and thrown into jail by a cop-hating judge. Klein is exonerated at the police inquiry because Vrinks' evidence is ruled inadmissible, and one of his friends lead the Internal Affairs investigation.
While in prison Vrinks' wife, Camille, is contacted by Silien. They agree to meet but the phone call is secretly being tapped by Klein's team who follow her. When Silien gets into her vehicle, the police move in but the criminal panics and there is a car chase. Klein purposely slams his car into Camille's, forcing it off the road. The crash kills Vrinks' wife and Silien. But Klein uses the circumstances to clear his name again. First he uses Silien's gun to shoot Camille before using his own gun to shoot Silien. It now looks like the informant shot Camille in the car, causing the them to veer off the road and Klein shot back in self defence.
Seven years later, Vrinks is released from prison for his silence in Silien's killings. Klein, as the Parisian Chief of Police, has kept people silent by handing out promotions or by forcing others to retire or transfer. Vrinks goes to see an old colleague who quit the police and works at a club. While at the club, a confrontation occurs and Vrinks' old colleague is threatened by men who seem strangely familiar. Vrinks then has an emotional reunion with his now grown up daughter, telling her that he is going far away, but first he has to take care of unfinished business.
Vrinks gets a gun in a plan to take revenge on Klein who is attending the annual Parisian police ball. Meanwhile his old police colleague has been attacked by the men who were ejected from the club. In the assault they find out the name of the other policeman who left their friend for dead in the forest.
Meanwhile, using a stolen police ID, Vrinks gets into the venue and confronts Klein in the toilets. Meanwhile, the men who were ejected from the club follow Vrinks to the soiree, and wait omniously outside. Klein admitted what he did, and Vrinks realises what a sad man Klein had become and suggests he kill himself with the gun that he brought. After Vrinks leaves, Klein follows him into the street shouting obscenities and blaming Vrinks for his wife's death. But a motorcycle pulls up and a man shoots Klein in the head. It is then revealed that Vrinks' old colleague said Klein's name instead.
Vrinks meets his daughter at the airport. The film ends with them queuing at the security gate at the start of their trip and a new life abroad.
The actress who plays Vrinks' daughter (as a grown up) in the film (Aurore Auteuil
) is Daniel Auteuil
's real life daughter.
, played by Jean-Paul Belmondo
.
Cinema of France
The Cinema of France comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of France or by French filmmakers abroad.France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant contributions. Several important cinematic movements, including the Nouvelle...
film directed by Olivier Marchal
Olivier Marchal
Olivier Marchal is a French actor, director, screenwriter, and a former policeman. In 2005, he was nominated for three César Awards , for his film 36 Quai des Orfèvres....
and starring Daniel Auteuil
Daniel Auteuil
Daniel Auteuil is a French film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Algiers, French Algeria.-Career:...
and Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu is a French actor and filmmaker. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite and has twice won the César Award for Best Actor...
. The film takes place in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, where two cops (Auteuil and Depardieu) are competing for the vacant seat of Chief of Police
Direction Régionale de Police Judiciaire de Paris
The Direction Régionale de Police Judiciaire de Paris , often called the 36, quai des Orfèvres or simply the 36 by the address of its headquarters, is the division of the Police judiciaire in Paris...
while involved in a search for a gang of violent thieves. The film is directed by Olivier Marchal, a former police officer who spent 12 years in the French police before creating this story, which in part is taken from real events which occurred during the 1980s in France (see the gang des postiches arrest). The film was nominated for eight César Award
César Award
The César Award is the national film award of France, first given out in 1975. The nominations are selected by the members of the Académie des arts et techniques du cinéma....
s.
Plot
The story revolves around Léo Vrinks, head of the BRIBrigade de recherche et d'intervention
The Brigades de Recherche et d'Intervention , often called "Anti-Gang Brigades", are elite police specials units of the French Ministry of the Interior ....
and Denis Klein, head of the BRB
Brigade de répression du banditisme
The Brigade de Répression du Banditisme of Paris is an elite special police unit of the French Ministry of the Interior . It is in charge of armed robberies, burglaries and scams, and art thefts...
. Both want to catch a vicious gang of armoured-car robbers that have killed nine people. But the announcement that the position of Chief of Police
Direction Régionale de Police Judiciaire de Paris
The Direction Régionale de Police Judiciaire de Paris , often called the 36, quai des Orfèvres or simply the 36 by the address of its headquarters, is the division of the Police judiciaire in Paris...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
is available, the rivalry pushes Klein to play dirty in order to get the promotion.
Vrinks is a good investigative detective with a loyal cadre of detectives and officers, and who uses criminals to provide information. Klein, who has questionable ethics, is not so accomplished. Vrinks also helps people, in particular a prostitute who is raped and beaten by a criminal who was robbing the bar that she was employed at. Vrinks and his team kidnap the man and drive him out to the forest for punishment; the gangster is stripped naked and given a mock execution, before being pushed into a shallow grave and warned to never go near her again. Unfortunately, Vrinks' methods catch up with him when he is tricked by Silien, an incarcerated informant on day release, into being the unwitting getaway driver in the murder of one of Silien's criminal colleagues (the gangster's testimony had sent Silien to prison). However, the assassinated gangster was also one of Klein's informants. In a quid pro quo
Quid pro quo
Quid pro quo most often means a more-or-less equal exchange or substitution of goods or services. English speakers often use the term to mean "a favour for a favour" and the phrases with almost identical meaning include: "give and take", "tit for tat", "this for that", and "you scratch my back,...
exchange of providing Silien with an alibi and to buy Vrinks' silence, he tells the detective where the armoured-car gang is hiding.
Vrinks and his team stake out the factory, with Klein's team acting as backup. But when they are on the verge of catching all the robbers after patient planning and surveillance, Klein ignores procedure and radio orders, and drunkenly comes out of hiding. The gang use this to spark a firefight, which results in the death of Vrinks' best friend and the kidnapping of a detective as a hostage.
An internal investigation is launched into the botched operation. But Klein avoids censure for his behaviour by finding a witness to Silien's murder (a prostitute and illegal immigrant who needs help) who saw Vrinks at the murder scene. Vrinks is arrested and thrown into jail by a cop-hating judge. Klein is exonerated at the police inquiry because Vrinks' evidence is ruled inadmissible, and one of his friends lead the Internal Affairs investigation.
While in prison Vrinks' wife, Camille, is contacted by Silien. They agree to meet but the phone call is secretly being tapped by Klein's team who follow her. When Silien gets into her vehicle, the police move in but the criminal panics and there is a car chase. Klein purposely slams his car into Camille's, forcing it off the road. The crash kills Vrinks' wife and Silien. But Klein uses the circumstances to clear his name again. First he uses Silien's gun to shoot Camille before using his own gun to shoot Silien. It now looks like the informant shot Camille in the car, causing the them to veer off the road and Klein shot back in self defence.
Seven years later, Vrinks is released from prison for his silence in Silien's killings. Klein, as the Parisian Chief of Police, has kept people silent by handing out promotions or by forcing others to retire or transfer. Vrinks goes to see an old colleague who quit the police and works at a club. While at the club, a confrontation occurs and Vrinks' old colleague is threatened by men who seem strangely familiar. Vrinks then has an emotional reunion with his now grown up daughter, telling her that he is going far away, but first he has to take care of unfinished business.
Vrinks gets a gun in a plan to take revenge on Klein who is attending the annual Parisian police ball. Meanwhile his old police colleague has been attacked by the men who were ejected from the club. In the assault they find out the name of the other policeman who left their friend for dead in the forest.
Meanwhile, using a stolen police ID, Vrinks gets into the venue and confronts Klein in the toilets. Meanwhile, the men who were ejected from the club follow Vrinks to the soiree, and wait omniously outside. Klein admitted what he did, and Vrinks realises what a sad man Klein had become and suggests he kill himself with the gun that he brought. After Vrinks leaves, Klein follows him into the street shouting obscenities and blaming Vrinks for his wife's death. But a motorcycle pulls up and a man shoots Klein in the head. It is then revealed that Vrinks' old colleague said Klein's name instead.
Vrinks meets his daughter at the airport. The film ends with them queuing at the security gate at the start of their trip and a new life abroad.
Cast
- Daniel AuteuilDaniel AuteuilDaniel Auteuil is a French film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Algiers, French Algeria.-Career:...
as Léo Vrinks - Gérard DepardieuGérard DepardieuGérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu is a French actor and filmmaker. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite and has twice won the César Award for Best Actor...
as Denis Klein - André DussollierAndré DussollierAndré Dussollier is a French actor.-Filmography:* 1970 : Ils, directed by Jean-Daniel Simon* 1972 : Les Chemins de pierre, directed by Joseph Drimal...
as Robert Mancini - Roschdy ZemRoschdy ZemRoschdy Zem is a French actor of Moroccan descent. He shared the award for Best Actor for his role in the film "Days of Glory" at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival....
as Hugo Silien - Valeria GolinoValeria GolinoValeria Golino is an Italian-Greek film and television actress. She is best known to English language audiences for the 1988 film Rain Man, and the Hot Shots! films...
as Camille Vrinks - Mylène DemongeotMylène DemongeotMylène Demongeot is a French actress, who has appeared in 72 films since 1953. She was born Marie-Hélène Demongeot in Nice, Southern France....
as Manou Berliner - Olivier MarchalOlivier MarchalOlivier Marchal is a French actor, director, screenwriter, and a former policeman. In 2005, he was nominated for three César Awards , for his film 36 Quai des Orfèvres....
as Christo
The actress who plays Vrinks' daughter (as a grown up) in the film (Aurore Auteuil
Aurore Auteuil
Aurore Auteuil is a French actress and the oldest daughter of Anne Jousset and Daniel Auteuil.-Filmography:-External links:...
) is Daniel Auteuil
Daniel Auteuil
Daniel Auteuil is a French film, television and theatre actor.-Early life and education:He was born in Algiers, French Algeria.-Career:...
's real life daughter.
Production
In naming the informant Silien, Marshal is making a conscious tribute to the whole genre of the French "Policier", Silien being a character in the classic film Le DoulosLe Doulos
Le Doulos is a 1962 French crime film directed by Jean-Pierre Melville. It was released theatrically as The Finger Man in the English-speaking world, but all video and DVD releases have used the French title...
, played by Jean-Paul Belmondo
Jean-Paul Belmondo
Jean-Paul Belmondo is a French actor initially associated with the New Wave of the 1960s.-Career:Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, west of Paris, Belmondo did not perform well in school, but developed a passion for boxing and football."Did you box professionally very long?" "Not very long...
.