Any Number Can Win movie storyline. A veteran of the crime scene decides after several years to try again the coup that had brought him to prison a few years ago: that of robbing the cashier of the Casino de Cannes in the middle of the fashionable season, when the money turns, with the help of a young accomplice. The two program everything very carefully, but there is no shortage of discussions between them and it is also a question of overcoming the unforeseen of the spell. Everything seems to be resolved in the end, but the sand that also stops the most oiled gear is everywhere – Will they succeed?
Any Number Can Win (French: Mélodie en Sous-sol) is a 1963 French crime drama film directed by Henri Verneuil. The film is based on the novel The Big Grab by Zekial Marko. The film stars are Jean Gabin, Alain Delon, Claude Cerval, Maurice Biraud, Viviane Romance, Carla Marlier, Dora Doll, Henri Virlojeux, José Luis de Vilallonga, Rita Cadillac, Anne-Marie Coffinet, Jean Carmet, Jimmy Davis and Dominique Davray.
Screenwriter Michel Audiard came upon the novel The Big Grab by American author Zekial Marko (using the pseudonym John Trinian) through its French publisher Série noire, and suggested adapting the film to producer Jacques Bar. The French-Italian production received significant backing from MGM, who released it in the United States and other territories.
The main role of Charles was always intended for Jean Gabin, but the supporting role of Francis was initially planned for Jean-Louis Trintignant. Alain Delon heard about the project and lobbied Bar for the role, saying, “I want to make this film”. Delon, gaining a reputation for films made in Italy with director Luchino Visconti, was eager to work in lighter projects with wider audience appeal, but the American producers of the film felt that Delon, unlike Gabin, was not well known outside France and Italy, and were opposed to his casting, saying, “If he wants to do the film, let him do it for free”.
Delon offered a compromise, taking the film’s distribution rights in certain countries instead of a straight salary. Because this had never been done before in France, this was known as “Delon’s method”. The gamble paid off well, with Jean Gabin later claiming that Delon earned ten times more money than him as a result. However, in 1965, Delon claimed “no one else has tried it since and made money”.
The instrumental jazz score was composed by Michel Magne. An arrangement of the main title theme was recorded by American musician Jimmy Smith, and released as a single on Verve Records, which was owned by MGM at the time; it peaked at 96 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and on the Hot R&B Sides chart. Smith later released the album Any Number Can Win on Verve, which featured his recording of the movie theme with other covers and some original compositions.
Any Number Can Win (1983)
Directed by: Henri Verneuil
Starring: Jean Gabin, Alain Delon, Claude Cerval, Maurice Biraud, Viviane Romance, Carla Marlier, Dora Doll, Henri Virlojeux, José Luis de Vilallonga, Rita Cadillac, Anne-Marie Coffinet, Jean Carmet, Jimmy Davis, Dominique Davray
Screenplay by: Michel Audiard, Albert Simonin, Henri Verneuil
Production Design by: Robert Clavel
Cinematography by: Louis Page
Film Editing by: Françoise Bonnot
Set Decoration by: Pierre Charron
Music by: Michel Magne
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release Date: April 3, 1963, (France), October 8, 1963 (United States)
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