Farewell, Friend (1968)

appears to have been later reworked into John Wayne's "The Train Robbers" "Adieu l'ami" (also known as "Farewell, Friend" and "Honor Among Thieves") is a French film that stars Alain Delon and Charles Bronson. Both dubbed French language and English language versions of the film were released.The movie begins with two soldiers in the Foreign Legion coming back from North Africa (Bronson and Delon). They don't particularly like each other and Bronson is a larcenous sort. Later, Delon is approached by a woman who has a ridiculous story--she claims she needs him to break into a safe to put some bonds BACK before they are discovered missing. Why he agrees to help her, I have no idea. Once inside, he meets Bronson--who has followed Delon because he thinks Delon is going to rob the place. However, BOTH get locked in the place and can't get out or get to the safe. When they finally do get out much later, they find a dead guard and some other person stole the money. I would have ended the film here, but it goes on for about 40 more minutes--leading to a bloody shootout.All in all, a decent film but it seemed a bit rough in spots. I also didn't appreciate the macho histrionics when the pair got locked in together--their punching each other seemed pretty silly. A decent time-passer but that's all--thanks to a lackluster script.

An engaging psychological thriller, it's got some fights, girls, guns, muscles and chase scenes, but that's not the point. Ultimately, this film is about friendship and honor. It's a guys' flick, although girls too will be rewarded with Alain Delon's divine mug in plenty a closeup. It is probably Charles Bronson's finest performance ever, and one of Delon's best films. Made entirely in English, this is a good chance for an American viewer to appreciate French thrillers. While trying to imitate Hollywood first, they ended up being much better than the original. This movie will probably not change you as a person, but it will resonate with you.

Short synopsis This film opens with soldiers being released from the company of men. One of them pursues another with a weird scheme the other repeatedly refuses. Later they both get trapped in an office building in which they want to crack a safe during the Christmas holidays. Hostility turns into playful banter and then into a desperate fight for survival (during the bantering they lose all drinkable liquids, so it is really serious). With exposed, well built and well oiled torsos they ram a hole into a wall and finally manage to escape – only to find out that they have been betrayed and set up by women. One gets caught, the other remains free and is not given away by his companion. A last encounter, a last light for a cigarette, adieu l'ami, farewell, friend.I found it hard not to see closet homosexuals in the two main characters, played by classical he-man superstars Alain Delon and Charles Bronson. They are obviously attracted to each other, their treatment of women is abominable and marked by contempt throughout. The whole story seems to have a strong symbolic undertow, a little like Deliverance. It is also very stylish. The safe the two men want to crack is in a – for the time – ultra modern glass and aluminum tower. It is the seat of a publicity firm, so there are many fancy posters and wall coverings around. The wardrobe is also very good. The ultra stylish Citroen DS (maybe the most modern and elegant car of all times) features large in this movie – perhaps a subtle kind of product placement.I can recommend this movie for the actor's performances alone. Delon and Bronson are really sharing the top billing, in a manner that struck me as very fair and sporting. Both do a considerable amount of acrobatics. I have never seen Bronson better than here, he really acts - and speaks French throughout, with a heavy accent buy very passably indeed. And it is certainly the man himself we hear. (So the French language version is highly recommended). The police inspector who pursues the two is played by on of my favorite Franch character actors, Bernard Fresson who was Gene Hackman's partner in French Connection II. He is the best brainy police inspector I know. Also very good is former child actress Brigitte Fossey as the young ingénue who, as it turns out, is not so Innocent as it first seems.Anyone who expects the „old in-an-out" of classical heist movies might be disappointed with this film. For those with a little patience this will be a rewarding experience, full of novel and original ideas and directorial quirks, although it my be a little too brutal and sadistic for its own sake.

Bronson shines in this great film. This is clearly one his his best pics yet. The movie is great. The story, the acting... Everything. The chemstry between Bronson and co-star Alain Delon works well.One quesion though... why is Bronson billed so low? Look at how the cast is listed on imdb page... Bronson WAS the star of this, along side Alain Delon.I've heard that new DVD versions of this film are terrible in quality. I have an OLD vhs of this that is pretty good. The quality isn't great, but it is surely watchable. I guess I'm lucky.Anyway- go see this movie now!