aka … Adieu l’ami
On the subject of movies if you ask me to name something or more specifically someone that I’ve become aware of via French cinema, I’m most likely to bring up actor Alain Delon. Though I grew up in the English speaking province of Ontario, Canada, Mr. Delon came into my movie watching habits early on thanks to his appearance in a western titled Red Sun released in 1971. It starred my favorite tough guy of cinema, Charles Bronson. One couldn’t help but notice the slick, calm and oh so damned cool Delon as the bad guy opposite the craggy Bronson. For the record, Toshiro Mifune also starred, thus introducing me to both him and Delon, I’ve been a fan of each ever since. For those that have seen the film, I’m not sure looking back if it was my introduction to the talents of Ursula Andress, I may have already seen Dr. No and Hammer’s She by this point in time.
All of this brings us to the 1968 film Farewell Friend which I’ve selected as my contribution to the Vive Le France Blogathon kindly hosted by The Lady Eve’s Reel Life and Silver Screen Modes. The film was the first time that Delon shared the screen with Bronson whose popularity was about to surge overseas thanks to his appearance here followed by a certain Leone western.
Under the direction of Jean Herman, Farewell Friend puts the two leading men in comfortable territory. That of a heist film gone bad. The pair are initially seen arriving back in France after a tour of duty in Algiers has concluded. While Bronson is looking to continue on the battlefield as a mercenary for hire, Delon’s medical officer is looking to square a debt in Paris much to Bronson’s disappointment. Bronson needs a medical officer for a military operation he’s secured in the Congo.
As Bronson continues to hang around and goad Delon, our Frenchman has agreed to take the job of a company doctor at a big city firm thanks to his association with Olga Georges-Picot. She wants Delon to break into a safe and return some stolen bonds to get her out of a legal jam. He agrees in order to repay his debt to a fallen comrade in the field. So the idea is that while he’s giving all the lovely secretaries in the company a physical he’ll also be attempting to uncover the seven digit code for the company safe in the next room.
Seriously. Delon performing physicals on the company secretaries? I’ll bet that was one hell of a long line up at the casting directors office.
Things might be getting a bit plot heavy here and I’d rather not get into specifics but on Christmas Eve when the company shuts down, Delon, is to secretly stay back and attempt to crack the safe and return the bonds which will square him for the debt his conscience won’t let him forget. Not happening. Things go south when Bronson turns up and quickly realizes what Delon’s up to. He believes his French counterpart is after the two million dollars inside the vault and instantly cuts himself in for half. The pair will begrudgingly team up for the balance of the film in order to overcome a number of obstacles including becoming accidently locked in the room that holds the safe. Then there’s the murdered guard down the hall and when they do get inside the safe, there’s no money.
Yes these boys have been double crossed and left to take a serious rap. Time to get the hell out and clear their not so good names with the local Police Inspector played by Bernard Fresson. All the while refusing to admit they know each other ….. honor among thieves.
By this point in time, Alain Delon, was well versed in crime dramas having starred in features like Once a Thief and Le Samourai. He’d continue for a number of years forward in the genre with titles including The Sicilian Clan and No Way Out (aka Big Guns). Bronson on the other hand had been appearing in gangster films as far back as the early fifties. Even in comical films like Pat and Mike he’d turn up as a thug of some sort or play it serious in Big House U.S.A. or Crime Wave. Supposedly Richard Widmark and Jack Palance had turned down the co-starring role here and according to various sources including Citadel Press’ The Films of Charles Bronson it appears that Delon asked for Bronson as his American costar after seeing the film Machine Gun Kelly (1958) that had become popular overseas.
Also known under the title Honor Among Thieves thanks to an eventual VHS release in the 1980’s this title had initially proved to be a hard to find effort in the Bronson catalogue. Despite Delon having been introduced to North American audiences playing opposite the likes of Anthony Quinn, Dean Martin and Burt Lancaster, the film never found an official North American release, eventually being dumped to television and even then I don’t recall seeing it in the TV Guide growing up.
For his part, this was Bronson’s second film with the now famous mustache and the first of his “foreign” overseas ventures during the late 1960’s and early 70’s. The producer of Farewell Friend, Serge Silberman, would again utilize Bronson’s talents for the Hitchcock like thriller, Rider on the Rain. A film that has steadily gained a following since it’s release in 1970. Bronson would continue to work overseas in a number of films like Violent City, Cold Sweat and Lola before joining forces with Michael Winner on a succession of films that built on his reputation in North America. Death Wish being the most obvious title.
It’s unfortunate that Delon and Bronson never teamed for a third time on a North American project in the ensuing years. While Bronson stayed home, Delon did venture overseas to appear in North American backed projects like Scorpio and even The Concorde ’79. They had a good screen chemistry that warranted a third outing. Thankfully Farewell Friend turned up on DVD here in North America as a double bill from Wild East Productions in a complete cut as opposed to the Honor Among Thieves VHS tape I owned that trimmed over 20 minutes from the movie making it rather incoherent.
Fans of both leading men should take the time to hunt this one down (as well as their follow-up Red Sun). It’s something a little different in regards to Bronson while Delon sticks to his strengths.
Now please take the time to visit our hosts above to follow the links to all the other bloggers that have joined in the celebration of French cinema and see just who and what titles they may be spotlighting ….. Au revoir.
Mike's Take On the Movies 
Delon, like many of France’s youth of the time, was a huge fan and admirer of Bronson’s. Machine Gun Kelly was a rave success with both audiences and critics in France and made Bronson a star there. John Barry, an American expate working 2nd Unit for international co-productions provided the dubbing for Bronson in the French language original to keep the character’s American background. Kino’s Blu Ray of the film in November is going right on my Christmas list.
Kino has been doing a number of those overseas Bronson films lately and I too will look forward to this new edition. Hopefully more Delon films to come alongside their Sicilian Clan release which was excellent.
Heard about it and as it was in French, was not keen about. You have made it sound interesting. The first movie I saw starring Alain Delon was The Love Cage co-starring Jane Fonda and he was impressive. Best regards.
While it’s not a great film there is a good one hidden in here that I think could have surfaced with some rewrites but then I’m looking at it from the point of view of 2019 tastes. Worth checking out for the two stars.
Had to do a little skipping on this one Mike I’m afraid as I do have it to watch. Those two together just make this film sound immense and uber cool. Though I’ve curbed my expectations as I can see it’s not a classic. Where I do put Red Sun in the classic pot. I really loved that. Could of made a fantastic TV series out of that film.
Rider on the Rain added to the list also.
This one is all about the chemistry that the two stars have on screen and the comfortable plot they are used to. No it’s not Red Sun but it’ll do and Rider has steadily gained a bit of a cult status so give it a look.
Thought I’d seen a Delon film before, but looking through his IMDb list, nothing looks familiar. I keep hearing about ‘Le Cercle Rouge’, so I’ll have to give that one a look…but this one here sounds worthy of a watch as well. Although…who is this Bronson guy? Did he make anything after this? 🙂
I’m surprised you’ve never seen one of his attempts to cross over in an American themed film. Concorde 79, Scorpio, Red Sun, Lost Command or maybe Once a Thief with Ann-Margret and Palance. He’s worth looking into for some of these and his more famous French films like Purple Noon or Le Samourai. Also starred in The Leopard which has it’s fans. Bronson? Sounds familiar. Wasn’t that a canyon where all kinds of 1950’s sci-fi movies were made?
I wasn’t aware of this one, but am one of those who will watch Alain Delon in anything, young or old – including a French TV series of his, Frank Riva, that turned up on US TV a few years ago. My favorites of those films of his I’ve seen are Purple Noon, The Leopard, Le samourai, Le flic and The Sicilian Clan. I’ve even watched the godawful Yellow Rolls-Royce strictly because of him. I haven’t seen either of his films with Bronson but am now curious thanks to you.
I am so glad you chose this film for the blogathon. It would not have fulfilled its promise without an Alain Delon film. Thanks for being a part of Vive la France!
I’ve featured both Purple Noon and Sicilian Clan here. Both fine films. I’ve always thought he should have been better known over here in North America but for whatever reason it didn’t work out that way. I’ve wanted to see that TV series. Thanks for reminding me. and thanks for hosting as well. Gave me a reason to finally rewatch and feature this one.
Wait – what? Charles Bronson made films overseas? Had no idea he was an actor of international reputation.
Lol. Yeah the tough coal miner who made good in the war found himself popular overseas thanks to the prodding of his lovely wife Jill who kept telling him to take this role and a few others.
Honour Among Thieves – Farewell Friend
This seems to be Mr Bronson’s first fore into foreign filmdom. The plot is too complicated to hang all that well together – with certain aspects being a little too difficult to believe. It also falls too easily into crude territory with Charley playing a pimp, willing to risk his lady friend’s safety to a vulgar sex ring for the sake of stealing from the group’s funds. This is not a likable Bronson personality, in fact, there are very few to really like in a picture that promises much, only to deliver less.
At nearly two Hrs it outstays its welcome quite early in the lead up to the slightly more interesting final half – but this is not quite enough to save it from its overindulgences. With a little more character development it might have been more interesting. Bernard Fresson does well as a police inspector during the last half and even though this made money in France, it’s not all that well known in the west.
Best and most memorable aspect is an interesting music score by François de Roubaix who unfortunately died in an auto accident a few years later – the DVD copy I purchased, unfortunately, faded off the music after the credits – in this era, the French often left the music to play out over black film, and it’s disappointing they cut this off, as it’s one of the more interesting features about the movie! The Disc is unbranded but features a lot of Lions Gate trailers at the top (annoying) instead of at the end where they belong, otherwise OK quality.