Not even the mob could control him.

De kaldte ham Samoraien - den ensomme morder

Long considered a classic of European film noir, this existential gangster drama from French director Jean-Pierre Melville was released in the United States only in a severely truncated, re-edited, and overdubbed version entitled The Godson. Thirty years after its initial public airing, Le Samourai (1967) finally saw a limited American release in its intended form. Alain Delon stars as Jef Costello, a professional Parisian assassin-for-hire who, by nature of his work's solitary demands, has no friends. Although he is loved by Jane Lagrange (Natalie Delon, the star's real-life wife), Costello knows that Jane already has a lover. After he successfully wipes out a nightclub owner at the behest of his boss, Costello discovers that he was seen by the club's pianist, Valerie (Cathy Rosier). Although he survives a police lineup thanks to a lie offered up by the fearless Valerie, Costello's alibi disintegrates rapidly and his shadowy employer takes out a contract on him. As he seeks revenge on his betrayer, Costello must also stay one step ahead of a wily, determined superintendent (Francois Perier). Melville's film influenced several other filmmakers and projects, most notably director John Woo's The Killer (1989).

Hitman Jef Costello (Delon) lives in a single-room Parisian apartment whose spartan furnishings include a little bird in a cage. A long opening shot shows him lying on his bed, smoking, when the following text appears on-screen:

There is no greater solitude than that of the samurai unless it is that of the tiger in the jungle... Perhaps...
— Bushido (Book of the Samurai)
Costello's methodical modus operandi includes ironclad alibis involving his lover, Jane (Nathalie Delon). Having carried out a contract on a nightclub owner, he is seen leaving the scene by several witnesses, including piano player Valérie (Cathy Rosier). Their statements are inconsistent but the investigating officer (François Périer) believes Costello is his man. Costello loses a police tail and gets to a meeting point on a subway overpass where instead of getting paid, he is shot and wounded by a man sent by his employers. Having bandaged his wound and rested, he returns to the nightclub and somehow bonds with the piano player. In the meantime, police officers bug his room, which agitates the bird in its cage. Upon returning, Costello notices some loose feathers scattered around the cage. Suspecting an intrusion, he searches his room, finds the bug and deactivates it.

In the meantime, the police ransack Jane's apartment and offer her a deal: withdraw your alibi for Jef and we will leave you alone. Jane rejects the offer and shows them the door.

Back in his apartment Costello finds himself held at gunpoint by the overpass shooter who gives him money and offers him a new contract (the intended target is not revealed to the audience at this point). Costello overpowers him and forces him to disclose the identity of his boss, a man by the name of Olivier Rey (Jean-Pierre Posier).

Following a chase scene in the Métro and a goodbye visit to Jane, he drives to Rey's home, which turns out to be the same house in which the piano player lives. Costello kills Rey and drives to the nightclub.

This time he makes no attempt to conceal his presence. He even checks his hat but does not accept the hat-check ticket. Having put on his white gloves in full view of everyone, he walks over to the stage where Valérie advises him to leave. When he pulls out his gun and points it at her, she quietly asks "Why, Jef?" and he replies, "I was paid to." After a moment of staring, the audience hears gunshots, but not from his gun. Costello falls to the ground and dies. A junior police officer tells Valérie she is lucky the police were there because otherwise Costello would have killed her. But when his boss picks up Jef's gun, it is revealed that he had removed all the bullets before entering the club.

Release Date: July 12, 1972


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