LA BALANCE

France, 1982, 102 minutes, Colour.
Nathalie Baye, Philippe Leotard, Richard Berry, Maurice, Ronet.
Directed by Bob Swaim.

La Balance is an exciting police thriller, set in an authentic Paris, written and directed by American expatriate Bob Swaim. The title colloquially means an informer and this is explained at the beginning, relating to the Brigades Territoriales, an elite police force which is to infiltrate the underworld of the city.

The film shows the ugliness of the Parisian underworld, though its central characters are a pimp and a prostitute who are used, manipulated into being informers. The police squad is also pictured, generally young eager types (who might as well be on the side of crime as of right). The police stations have posters of both Clint Eastwood and Terence Hill and Bud Spencer.

The film is fast-paced, action-packed but yet gives a good deal of attention to characterisation and themes. Maurice Ronet, in one of his last performances, is the crime chief. The two stars won French Oscars for their performances and the film won the award for Best Film, allegedly outgrossing all films released in France except E.T. The influence of America as well as France is evident in the style of Bob Swaim.

1. An exciting French thriller? Police film? Action? Acclaim and awards?

2. An American absorbing the atmosphere of Paris and France? Understanding the city? His experience of living six months with the Brigades? His understanding the American styles of the genre? As transferred to French films? Universal themes? The 20th century police styles? The cinematic tradition and references: Steve Mc Queen (The Hunter), Clint Eastwood (Dirty Harry), Terence Hill and Bud Spencer?

3. The authentic atmosphere of Paris: the streets, the squalor, details of life, the corruption. the eruption of the criminal world into the real world with the traffic jam and shootout near the Arc de Triomphe? Pace. tracking shots especially in the opening look at Paolo, car chases? Violence exploding? The madness inherent in the world of the criminal? The use of authentic Paris locations?

4. The impact of the opening with the focus on Paolo. his being well known, tracking him along the street, the many encounters and the warmth, the friendliness, the inevitable close-up of the shooting? Setting tone and theme?

5. The focus on police work? The elite group, their sense of being a group, Paluzzi and his control? Relationship with his partner, the rest of the police force especially the Belgian, the ex-Algerian fighter? Their dedication, involvement? The nature of commitment? Their being on the side of justice and right? Their in filtrating the criminal world? Mentality? Wags of behaviour? The nature of this kind of police justice? Their own pride? Plans and strategies? The comment that Paluzzi was like a movie director controlling everything, yet failing in the ultimate plan? Strength of characterisation, toughness. police image, interaction, cars, chases, sirens? The importance of contacts, visits to restaurants etc, the Arabs in Paris, drug dealers, prostitutes, picking up their suspects, planning their informers, putting pressure on them, playing one against the other? The scheme of choosing Dede and Nicole? Hounding them? The failure of the plan, the violence of the shootouts? The irony of the Belgian being saved by his transistor? The cold-blooded violence? The final confrontation and the ex-Algerian soldier shooting his victim in cold blood? The role of the junior police? This picture of the police as weak, strong? Needs? Ultimate issues of right and wrong?

7. The criminal world and its ugliness? The initial murder? The deals? Massina and his wealth. smooth style? His psychotic assistant? Planting rumours in the city, playing groups against each other? violence. deaths in the street?

8. Nicole and Dede as hero and heroine? The prostitute on her beat, her prostitute friends and their plying their trade? Dede and his being a middleman, ordinary? The clash with Massina? The stars playing these central roles and the quality of their performances? The world of the Parish prostitute? In action? The world of thieves? The humanity of the central couple, their love? Their being hounded, arrested, played off against the other? Their not wanting to betray each other? Paluzzi's relentless chasing of them? Dede and his record? Chosen, fate? The interrogations and the brutality? His plan for Massina? The deals with the art, his persuasiveness? The set up of the actual theft? Its clockwork? The change of driver and having to cope? Dede and his escape, eating in the restaurant, caught? His being roughed up? Going back to Nicole? His wanting her to meet him? Her betraying him to the police? His being arrested, for his own protection? Nicole and her tenderness. her clash with the police, her fidelity to Dede?

9. The execution of the plan, things going right, wrong? The traffic jam, the death of innocent people, psychotics on the loose with guns?

10. Dede and the confrontation, his escape, the finale with Nicole and his being arrested? The police and their word?

11. Massina as the suave criminal mastermind? His psychotic assistant? The petty criminals? The portrait of an ugly city?