MÉLODIE EN SOUS-SOL
(The Big Heist at the Casino)
by Henri Verneuil
France, Italy / 1963 / 117’
Starring Jean Gabin, Alain Delon, Viviane Romance

Original version with Italian subtitles. Free entry.

Charles, a man in his sixties, has just served five years behind bars. Upon his release, he struggles to adjust to his home in Sarcelles, a city transformed with towering modern skyscrapers. Ginette offers him a chance to start fresh with a business in southern France, but Charles has another plan: robbing the vault of the Palm Beach Casino in Cannes. To pull off the heist, he teams up with a young ex-con, Francis, and Louis, a mechanic who takes on the role of driver.

In Mélodie en sous-sol, Henri Verneuil, Albert Simonin, and Michel Audiard bring the spirit of an American noir to the suburbs of Paris and the French Riviera. The pairing of Jean Gabin and Alain Delon is pure cinematic magic in this classic French caper film, featuring razor-sharp dialogue, meticulous direction, and delicious suspense that leads to a brilliant finale.

The movie was one of Alain Delon’s first major box-office hits—so much so that he temporarily left the lengthy shoot of The Leopard to join Verneuil’s set.

Cinémardi #19

The cinematic series organized by the Institut Français Palermo returns to the Sala De Seta at the Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa in Palermo. Details: All films are shown in their original language with Italian subtitles. Free entry! This event is held in collaboration with Città di Palermo / Assessorato alla Cultura and IFcinéma. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to enjoy great cinema in an authentic setting!