Though you can't quite make up your mind about NIGHT AFFAIR (please try rewriting so you don't sound so all over the map about it--it can't be mundane AND filled with unusual aspects, that just makes no sense)--you do Gabin a disservice by typecasting him as a "grumpy cop" during his "second career." He liked to work, and he made many different types of noir/noirish films from GRISBI to LE CHAT. Tavernier is much more cogent about this film, which is not "original" (neither, BTW, is RIFIFI or BOB, two films you overrate like everyone else) but has some very daring elements as French noir got much more explicit than any other "noir nationality" in the late 50s. I'd say 3 1/2 for all that, and 2 stars for an uncharacteristically grumpy, disshevelled review from someone who is normally much better...
Though you can't quite make up your mind about NIGHT AFFAIR (please try rewriting so you don't sound so all over the map about it--it can't be mundane AND filled with unusual aspects, that just makes no sense)--you do Gabin a disservice by typecasting him as a "grumpy cop" during his "second career." He liked to work, and he made many different types of noir/noirish films from GRISBI to LE CHAT. Tavernier is much more cogent about this film, which is not "original" (neither, BTW, is RIFIFI or BOB, two films you overrate like everyone else) but has some very daring elements as French noir got much more explicit than any other "noir nationality" in the late 50s. I'd say 3 1/2 for all that, and 2 stars for an uncharacteristically grumpy, disshevelled review from someone who is normally much better...