History Film / PepeLeMoko

Pépé le Moko (Creator/JeanGabin) is a jewel thief taking refuge in the port of Algiers. ("Le Moko" is slang for a person from Toulon.) Algiers is a French possession, and in theory the local authorities could arrest him, but Pépé is living in the Casbah, the native quarter. The Casbah is filled with closely packed buildings which are connected via rooftops, narrow streets and buildings, and has a populace that is intensely hostile to French law enforcement.[[note]]A generation after this movie was made the French would discover in RealLife just how hostile, as shown in ''Film/TheBattleOfAlgiers''.[[/note]] It's a law unto itself and Pépé is effectively untouchable there.

[[caption-width-right:350:Jean Gabin could really rock a {{nice hat}}.]]

However, while the Casbah is a refuge, it is also a prison: Pépé will be arrested by the French police if he steps out of the district. He chafes at being stuck in the Casbah and longs to return home to Paris. Inspector Slimane of the Algiers police knows this, and hopes to use it to coax Pépé into leaving his bolt hole and exposing himself to arrest.

Pépé le Moko (Creator/JeanGabin) is a jewel thief taking refuge in the port of Algiers. ("Le Moko" is slang for a person from Toulon.) Algiers is a French possession and in theory the local authorities could arrest him, but Pépé is living in the Casbah, the native quarter. The Casbah is filled with closely packed buildings which are connected via rooftops, narrow streets and buildings, and has a populace that is intensely hostile to French law enforcement.[[note]]A generation after this movie was made the French would discover in RealLife just how hostile, as shown in ''Film/TheBattleOfAlgiers''.[[/note]] It's a law unto itself and Pépé is effectively untouchable there.

The key to Inspector Slimane's hopes shows up in the person of Gaby, a gorgeous young woman who is the soon-to-be TrophyWife of an obnoxious businessman. During a visit to the Casbah she meets Pépé. They fall in love. While Pépé and Gaby dream of a future together, the crafty Inspector Slimane schemes to lure Pépé out of the Casbah.

Just one year after this movie was made it received a ShotForShotRemake in America as ''Film/{{Algiers}}'', with Creator/CharlesBoyer playing Pépé.

The key to Inspector Slimane's hopes shows up in the person of Gaby, a gorgeous young woman who is the soon-to-be TrophyWife of an obnoxious businessman. On a visit to the Casbah she meets Pépé. They fall in love. While Pépé and Gaby dream of a future together, the crafty Inspector Slimane schemes to lure Pépé out of the Casbah.

''Pépé le Moko'' is a 1937 film from France directed by Julien Duvivier.

Pépé le Moko (Creator/JeanGabin) is a jewel thief taking refuge in the port of Algiers. ("Le Moko" is slang for a person from Toulon.) Algiers is a French possession and in theory the local authorities could arrest him, but Pépé is living in the Casbah, the native quarter. The Casbah is filled with closely packed buildings that are connected via rooftops, narrow streets and buildings, and a populace that is intensely hostile to French law enforcement.[[note]]A generation after this movie was made the French would discover in RealLife just how hostile, as shown in ''Film/TheBattleOfAlgiers''.[[/note]] It is a law unto itself and Pépé is effectively untouchable there.

However, while the Casbah is a refuge, it is also a prison: Pépé will be arrested by the French police if he steps out of the district. He chafes at being stuck in the Casbah and longs to go back to Paris. Inspector Slimane of the Algiers police knows this, and hopes to use it to coax Pépé into leaving his bolt hole and exposing himself to arrest.

The key to Inspector Slimane's hopes shows up in the person of Gaby, a gorgeous young woman who is the soon-to-be TrophyWife of an obnoxious businessman. On a visit to the Casbah she meets Pépé. They fall in love. While Pepe and Gaby dream of a future together, the crafty Inspector Slimane schemes to lure Pépé out of the Casbah.

Pepe le Moko (Creator/JeanGabin) is a jewel thief taking refuge in the port of Algiers. ("Le Moko" is slang for a person from Toulon.) Algiers is a French possession and in theory the local authorities could arrest him, but Pepe is living in the Casbah, the native quarter. The Casbah is filled with closely packed buildings that are connected via rooftops, narrow streets and buildings, and a populace that is intensely hostile to French law enforcement.[[note]]A generation after this movie was made the French would discover in RealLife just how hostile, as shown in ''Film/TheBattleOfAlgiers''.[[/note]] It is a law unto itself and Pepe is effectively untouchable there.

However, while the Casbah is a refuge, it is also a prison: Pepe will be arrested by the French police if he steps out of the district. He chafes at being stuck in the Casbah and longs to go back to Paris. Inspector Slimane of the Algiers police knows this, and hopes to use it to coax Pepe into leaving his bolt hole and exposing himself to arrest.

The key to Inspector Slimane's hopes shows up in the person of Gaby, a gorgeous young woman who is the soon-to-be TrophyWife of an obnoxious businessman. On a visit to the Casbah she meets Pepe. They fall in love. While Pepe and Gaby dream of a future together, the crafty Inspector Slimane schemes to lure Pepe out of the Casbah.

Just one year after this movie was made it received a ShotForShotRemake in America as ''Film/{{Algiers}}'', with Creator/CharlesBoyer playing Pepe.

* {{Chiaroscuro}}: Several scenes are shot with artful shadowy lighting. The scene where Pepe is grilling Regis, whom he correctly suspects of betraying Pierrot, is initially shot with only a single light.
* DrivenToSuicide: Pepe fatally stabs himself with a hidden knife rather than let the cops take him to jail. This is the only major difference with ''Algiers'', as American censors demanded that Pepe be shot by the cops.
* DrowningMySorrows: Pepe, who seemed to regard Pierrot as almost a surrogate son, is drinking heavily after Pierrot dies from a wound suffered in a fight with police.

* FaceFramedInShadow: How Pepe is framed as he figures out that Regis the weasel betrayed Pierrot to the police. After that the formerly affable jewel thief gets murderous.
* FinishDialogueInUnison: Pepe and Gaby are reminiscing about the Paris neighborhoods that they both miss. They both cite different examples, until they both cite "La Place Blanche" at the same time.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Someone says early in the movie that "Women will be your undoing, Pepe." That's what happens.
* GentlemanThief: Charming, affable Pepe couldn't be a more dashing jewel thief.

* GoKartingWithBowser: Inspector Slimane and Pepe are good friends, and chat pleasantly with each other and share drinks in the Casbah, while all the time Slimane promises that he will arrest Pepe one day.

* HotGypsyWoman: Ines, Pepe's sexy girlfriend. She's very jealous when Pepe falls for Gaby.

* LonelyFuneral: DiscussedTrope. Inspector Slimane says "I was alone at his funeral," and says that it's a darn shame that Pepe couldn't make it because he can't leave the Casbah. This is part of Inspector Slimane goading Pepe to do just that.
* NaiveNewcomer: Janvier, the loud mouthed cop from Paris who demands to know why the local authorities haven't arrested Pepe when they know where he is. That triggers a long InfoDump speech in which the local cops patiently explain how they basically have no authority over the Casbah.

* RoofHopping: Ines does this to alert Pepe that the cops are coming for him. It's easier than usual thanks to how closely packed the buildings of the Casbah are.

* ZipMeUp: Gaby shows Pepe her diamond bracelet. When he gives it back to her to put on, she flirts with him by insisting that he put it on her arm.

[[caption-width-right:350:Jean Gabin could really rock a nice hat]]

''Pepé le Moko'' is a 1937 film from France directed by Julien Duvivier.

[[caption-width-right:350:Jean Gabin could really rock a NiceHat]]

Pepe le Moko (Creator/JeanGabin) is a jewel thief taking refuge in the port of Algiers. ("Le Moko" is slang for a person from Toulon.) Algiers is a French possession and in theory the local authorities could arrest him, but Pepe is living in the Casbah, the native quarter. The Casbah is a law unto itself, filled with closely packed buildings that are connected via rooftops, narrow streets and buildings, and a populace that is intensely hostile to French law enforcement.[[note]]A generation after this movie was made the French would discover in RealLife just how hostile, as shown in ''Film/TheBattleOfAlgiers''.[[/note]] It is a law unto itself and Pepe is effectively untouchable there.

However, while the Casbah is a refuge, it is also a prison: Pepe will be arrested by the French police if he steps out of the district. Pepe chafes at being stuck in the Casbah and longs to go back to Paris. Inspector Slimane of the Algiers police knows this, and hopes to use it to coax Pepe into leaving his bolt hole and exposing himself to arrest.

* NaiveNewcomer: Jarvis, the loud mouthed cop from Paris who demands to know why the local authorities haven't arrested Pepe when they know where he is. That triggers a long InfoDump speech in which the local cops patiently explain how they basically have no authority over the Casbah.

* UnfortunateName: The long explanation about what a madhouse the Casbah is takes a moment to mention that the streets have weird names. One is called "Inadequacy Street".