It might be advisable for viewers suffering heart problems to stay away from this frantic paced film. At times the viewer feels dizzy watching its star, Alain Delon, running around like a chicken without a head. But we digress, this French film, directed by Edouard Molinaro was a vehicle for Mr. Delon, who is listed as the producer. It is based on a novel by Paul Morand, and of course, not having read it, we have no basis of comparison.

Pierre Niox, an antique dealer, is seen arriving by helicopter to buy a house in the country from a man that is on his death bed. Right after that, he is seen at an art exhibit of gold statuettes that were obtained by shady means, something that gets him in deep water with the African dignitary that discovers the deception. That incident serves to land him, and his right hand man, Placide, in jail.

In addition to his problems, Pierre Noix is besieged by Edwige, one of the daughters of the old man who sold the house. From her clear distaste for Pierre, Edwige falls head over heels with the man that whisks her away moments after she has told him off, to a rendezvous in Venice at one of the best hotels, where they cannot even enjoy an orgasm because of the staff's frequent interruptions.

It is no surprise that Mr. Noix is suffering a heart problem, something that is detected by a physician after Pierre's collapse attempting to stop a flight he has missed. His ambition leads him to sell all the pieces in his collection because what he really wants to buy is a rare VI century vase that has come for purchase. Edwige, who is expecting a baby, gives birth to a son, but his father is much too busy to greet his arrival. The irony of it all is that Pierre Noix would not enjoy the masterpiece he coveted.

Most of Alain Delon's scenes have him running at a breakneck speed. It is almost impossible to see him stay quiet for long. Edwige is played by Mireille Darc who was a distraction because the actress had such a blank presence in the films she played; she is an enigma in the movie. Granted, Ms. Darc is a beautiful woman, but as an actress she never projected any life to her characters. Michel Duchaussoy has much better luck than the star appearing as Delon's partner.

After driving into the Italian Crime-style madness of Armaguedon,I started looking for another title starring Alain Delon that I could give to a friend as an Easter present. Keen on picking up something more serious than Armaguedon,I was pleased to find out from a DVD seller that they had recently tracked down a unique-sounding Delon Thriller,which led to me soon trying to keep up with Delon.

The plot:

Becoming known in the world of the elite as the man who can locate any item he desires, Pierre Niox sets his eyes and hands on getting the rarest antiques in the world. Taking his wife Edwige along to experience the jet-set lifestyle,Edwige finds her patients to be tested,by Niox pushing them to go across the world to get a new item before their feet have touched the ground. Revealing that she is pregnant with his child,Edwige starts to notice Niox becoming annoyed at her getting in the way of his true love: antiques hunting.

View on the film:

Moving Paul Morand's 1940's written novel into the end of the 70's,director Édouard Molinaro dips the pages into jet-set decadence,via stylish whip-pans gliding on the chic antiques Niox surrounds himself with. Whilst using Niox's obsession to give the title a glossy appearance,Molinaro digs into Niox via his impatient for Edwige's baby,which unveils the less than pristine side of his personality. Filling Niox's hands with every valuable that catches his eyes,the screenplay by Maurice Rheims & Christopher Frank ruthlessly dissect Niox's uncontrolled love of material items,that reach an absurdist level when Niox begins treating Edwige's pregnancy like an auction.

Staying close to the shallowness of Niox's life,the writers make the shots at Melodrama ones that run dry,due to all the characters having been kept at a skin deep level. Traveling round the world with his then- eye-catching girlfriend Mireille Darc as Edwige, Alain Delon gives a great, dashing performance as Niox which sweats with greed,as Niox hurries over to getting his hands on the ultimate antique.

We are introduced to Pierre, the Delon character, a man who lives in a state of constant agitation. I get the point, but Delon's acting is weird to say the least. He seems unfocussed, frantic and manic rather than hurried. In today's world he would be treated with Xanax.

The meeting with Edwige, the Mireille Darc character, is the epitome of the silly. I am not concerned with the lack of politically correct, but basically Delon tells her that he will call her by her name when she gives him a price, meaning that he calls by their name only prostitutes...

Edwige is the heir of a house sold by her father on his deathbed, therefore not a prostitute but addressed as such. Darc did not struck me as a good actress. In this film she acts with her dreadful haircut and mostly stares at Delon, waiting to blurt out her silly lines. She should be antagonistic but she just cannot pull it off.