Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- swaggering
- playful
- classic crime night
- buddy movie marathon
What critics said
A major French box-office success whose charismatic stars, lively period detail, and jaunty score make an entertaining but relatively basic gangster pastiche.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Capella and Siffredi begin as rivals and become partners before their ambitions put pressure on their bond.
The film emphasizes 1930s Marseille, gangster bosses, period styling, and Claude Bolling's jaunty mechanical-piano score.
The central duo's brawling, horse-race fixing, fights, and escalating jobs generate the film's buddy-comedy appeal.
After working for local gangster bosses, the protagonists decide to build their own operation.
Films like Borsalino, and why
The Sting
shared 1930s gangster setting, charismatic male partnership, stylish crime plotting, and playful criminal camaraderie
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
shared buddy-crime energy, period gangster atmosphere, star-driven performances, and tonal blend of comedy and violence
The Red Circle
shared french gangster milieu, male friendship, criminal codes, and coolly stylized crime drama
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
shared romantic rivalry, charismatic criminals, period detail, and comic-gangster tone
Movie Details
- Director
- Jacques Deray
- Release Date
- 1970-05-19
- Runtime
- 125 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (258)
Cast
- Jean-Paul Belmondo
- Alain Delon
- Catherine Rouvel
- Françoise Christophe
- Corinne Marchand
- Laura Adani
- Nicole Calfan
- Hélène Rémy
- Odette Piquet
- Mario David
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Borsalino about?
- Two swaggering Marseille crooks turn a brawl over a woman into a stylish partnership that carries them from petty scams toward dangerous gangster ambition.
- What is Borsalino like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Borsalino as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Borsalino violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Borsalino as moderate.
- What did critics think of Borsalino?
- A major French box-office success whose charismatic stars, lively period detail, and jaunty score make an entertaining but relatively basic gangster pastiche.
- Which films are like Borsalino?
- Films with a similar feel include The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Red Circle, and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.
- How long is Borsalino?
- Borsalino runs 125 minutes.
- Where can I watch Borsalino?
- In United States, Borsalino is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home.
