How Long Is “Le Samourai”?

Jean-Pierre Melville's classic stars Alain Delon as a contract killer who lives by the code of bushido. But, like any paid killer, there are those after him as well. This story of betrayal and revenge is stunningly shot and, with a cast including Nathalie Delon and Cathy Rosier, contains images that were to influence the American tyros who followed. In French with subtitles, Professional assassin Alain Delon finds himself the unwilling subject of police scrutiny when he takes on the job of bumping off a Parisian nightclub owner. Further complicating matters is the fact that Delon's victim-to-be has also taken out a "contract" -- on Delon.