Review of The Wonderful Crook

Pierre (Gérard Depardieu) is the son of the owner of a small furniture factory. Business is not going well, as he finds out after his father suffers a stroke. The hand made furniture cannot keep up with the competition. In order to pay his staff he decides to rob banks and post offices. At one of the robberies a worker at the post office, Nelly (Marlène Jobert), faints and Pierre feels guilty about what happened. He tries to make up with her but at first she want nothing to do with him. In the meantime Pierre tries to keep up a happy life with his wife Martha and their three year old son. After many encounters Nelly finally gives in and eventually falls for him. She even commits a robbery on her own. The money is all hid in a tree, but it goes wrong when a couple see the motor bike and conclude it is the one they heard and read about from the robberies. Eventually clues lead to Pierre and he is arrested during a theater performance. The movie is a lovely sad style comedy but charming and with good acting on all parts. The pace is slow but in keeping with the way films were shot in the middle seventies.