Pépé le Moko

Variety by

Interesting movement holds through the entirety. Life in the native quarter, with its squalor and intrigues, is particularly well presented and photographed.

The New York Times by A.O. Scott

One of the most purely enjoyable films ever made.

New Times (L.A.) by David Ehrenstein

Not to be missed. And pay close attention to the finale. It's a genuine surprise.

Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt

This masterpiece of poetic realism features one of Gabin's most renowned performances, a smart subtext about French colonialism, and enough exotic atmosphere to keep your head in the clouds long after the final scene.

Village Voice by J. Hoberman

Casually racist and inordinately sexist, Pépé le Moko is best enjoyed for its offhand surrealism.

Chicago Reader by Jonathan Rosenbaum

An early voice-over segment about the Casbah itself, before Gabin makes an appearance, is so pungent you can almost taste the place, even though the filming was clearly done in a studio.

Los Angeles Times by Kenneth Turan

Beautifully crafted, movingly acted, still involving and entertaining, this is just the kind of film people are talking about when they say they don't make them like this anymore.

Chicago Tribune by Michael Wilmington

A timeless romantic thriller that steeps us in one of those great artificial movie worlds that become more overpowering than reality itself.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer by William Arnold

Above all, the film is a classic of "poetic realism," that distinct brand of pessimistic '30s French urban drama that gave lyrical, sometimes even surrealistic, interpretations to working-class romances and underworld characters, settings and dramas.