Coup de Torchon (1981)

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Coup de Torchon (1981) – B. Tavernier

Sun-baked neo-noir, based on a novel by Jim Thompson (Pop. 1280), and directed by Bertrand Tavernier who transposed it from the U. S. South to a French colony in western Africa in the 1930s. Philippe Noiret plays the local cop who, at first, seems none too bright, preferring to give in to get along, rarely arresting anyone and letting those in power kick him around (including his wife and her n’er do well brother).  So, when he starts putting his plan for revenge into effect – or maybe he just cracks, it’s hard to tell – this viewer wasn’t quite sure what was happening.  But slowly and surely, the rude and the mighty get offed and Noiret finds himself bedding the young Isabelle Huppert, more or less oblivious to what the town might think.  Perhaps his lazy manner provides the perfect cover because no one seems too troubled by the deaths, perhaps, indeed, he did the town a favour…  In the end, Coup de Torchon is more of a character study and a snapshot of colonialism gone bad than a tightly plotted film noir, but its looseness and indirect approach is definitely part of its appeal.