Two Men in Manhattan

French crime movie maestro Jean-Pierre Melville, who made this 1959 film between his clever heist classic Bob le Flambeur and his first major crime film hit Le Doulos, stars here as Moreau, a reporter on an all-night mission to find the French ambassador to the U.N., who has gone missing without explanation. Moreau is as dogged as a private eye and he rouses photographer Delmas (Pierre Grasset)—a freewheeling freelancer and paparazzo—to lead him on an excursion into the nocturnal world of the Big Apple after dark to locate the ambassador's mistress. Melville's Two Men in Manhattan is a tribute to American detective films, partially shot on location in New York City, and mostly at night, which gives this black-and-white film a mix of documentary immediacy, photo essay elegance, and indie ingenuity, like a French New Wave film made in America. This is not the after-dark underworld of American film noir, however, but rather a visit to the fantasy playgrounds of high society and celebrity hideaways, with a cool jazz score. More of a lark than one of his accomplished films, Melville's celebration of American crime movies and the romance of nighttime NYC debuts on DVD and Blu-ray with a sharp remastered transfer. Extras include a video conversation between film critics Jonathan Rosenbaum and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, and a booklet. A strong optional purchase. (S. Axmaker)