– Bertrand Tavernier
“Here /…/ is the true beginning of the modern European crime film. /…/ All of Sautet’s greatness is present in his first film. It starts as a family saga and soon deepens into a study of loss and the emotionally unbearable realities that constitute the price of crime. The faces of Lino Ventura and Jean-Paul Belmondo light up the screen and remind us what a fabulous director of actors Sautet already was.”
– Peter von Bagh, Rikoksen hehku
“This early Sautet makes us feel compassionate toward the robber/gangster played matter-of-factly (and brilliantly) by Lino Ventura, while abhorring his cruelty in seeking vengeance. This portrait, filled with honesty and humility, is what makes this film so powerful and timeless.”
– John Woo