Overview
A hitman navigates a treacherous web of betrayal and survival in the shadows of Paris.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- austere
- mysterious
- brooding
- late night cinephile viewing
- rainy day
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as an immaculate, stylish, atmospheric, and absorbing neo-noir distinguished by Jean-Pierre Melville’s spare direction and Alain Delon’s controlled performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Melville uses spare dialogue, gray-blue imagery, and a solitary contract killer to create a highly restrained neo-noir atmosphere.
Jef Costello maintains a disciplined, ritualized way of working and remains guided by a bushido-like sense of honor amid betrayal.
After the nightclub murder, Jef is hunted both by the police investigating him and by the gangsters who hired him.
The film’s gray and blue palette, near-silent opening, and precise actions communicate character and tension through images rather than exposition.
Films like Le Samouraï, and why
The Driver
shared minimalist neo-noir style, professional criminal protagonist, cool restraint, and existential atmosphere
Army of Shadows
shared French crime cinema tradition, taciturn hitman figure, procedural tension, and morally austere tone
Le Cercle Rouge
shared stylish crime thriller structure, doomed professional killer, betrayal, and influential visual minimalism
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
shared lonely assassin protagonist, precise criminal mechanics, and psychologically detached neo-noir mood
Movie Details
- Director
- Jean-Pierre Melville
- Release Date
- 1967-10-25
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 7.8 / 10 (1313)
Cast
- Alain Delon
- François Périer
- Nathalie Delon
- Cathy Rosier
- Michel Boisrond
- Catherine Jourdan
- Jean-Pierre Posier
- Robert Favart
- Jacques Leroy
- Roger Fradet
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Le Samouraï about?
- A ritualistic Parisian hitman becomes trapped between the police and his own employers after a nightclub assassination exposes the fragility of his immaculate professional code.
- What is Le Samouraï like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Le Samouraï as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Le Samouraï violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Le Samouraï as mild.
- What did critics think of Le Samouraï?
- Critics broadly regard the film as an immaculate, stylish, atmospheric, and absorbing neo-noir distinguished by Jean-Pierre Melville’s spare direction and Alain Delon’s controlled performance.
- Which films are like Le Samouraï?
- Films with a similar feel include The Driver, Army of Shadows, Le Cercle Rouge, and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.
- How long is Le Samouraï?
- Le Samouraï runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch Le Samouraï?
- In United States, Le Samouraï streams on Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
