Delon made 28 films in the 70s, also producing about half of them, including TROIS HOMMES À ABATTRE, one of his best, and one of his most successful in this period. In his seventh collaboration with director Jacques Deray, Delon plays a professional poker player who drives by what he thinks is a car accident, makes the mistake of playing good Samaritan, and takes the driver to the hospital. That car accident turns out to be a hit, one put out by a large and powerful conglomerate whose multi-million dollar arms sale depends on certain information not leaking. They think Delon knows something and they’re out to get him. It takes a while for him to realise what he’s experiencing is not a coincidence — someone’s really out to kill him — and starts fighting back. But how can one man win against so many powerful forces?

An excellent thriller, one Delon made in a conscious attempt to give  ‘his public’ what he thought they wanted; a shy, beautiful and lonely cat, content in his own business, but who can bare his claws and become dangerous when threatened. The film’s in colour but so bleak it ends in pitch black noir mode; with an ending so dark Delon’s distributor in Japan changed it for fear his fans wouldn’t find it acceptable; a surprise since, unike Belmondo,  dying in films was hardly new to Delon. In this period villains always seem to love cats and art as much as they disdain people — surely a nod to Blofield in Bond — and Pierre Dux makes the most of his role. I also loved seeing Dalila Di Lazzaro as Delon’s girlfriend, very beautiful, funny and sexy, completely relaxed and open to the camera. I’d never heard of her. A noir worth looking out for.

Delon seems to wear white socks throughout the film; a practice then in vogue but, as far as i can tell, never seen before or since with Delon.

José Arroyo