The Professional (1981 film)

Le Professionnel

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	1981
Founder	Georges Lautner (director), Jean-Paul Belmondo (lead actor)
Headquarters	France
Products	Film

The Professional (original French title: Le Professionnel; ) is a 1981 French action thriller film directed by Georges Lautner and featuring Jean-Paul Belmondo in the lead role. The movie adapts the 1976 novel Death of a Thin-Skinned Animal authored by Patrick Alexander.

Achieving significant box office success, the film became the fourth highest-attended movie in France during 1981, with ticket sales exceeding 5.2 million. It was surpassed only by La Chèvre, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and The Fox and the Hound.

The soundtrack was created by Ennio Morricone, whose primary composition "Chi Mai" gained widespread recognition as an instrumental hit and remains a timeless piece.

A noteworthy detail is that the concluding sequence was filmed at Château de Maintenon.

Plot

Josselin Beaumont, commonly known as Joss, is an agent working for the French intelligence service. He is deployed to Malagawi, a fictional nation representing former French African territories in the early 1980s, with the mission to assassinate Colonel N'Jala, a dictator hostile to French interests. However, when France’s political agenda changes, the intelligence agency not only aborts the operation but also betrays Beaumont by revealing his identity to N'Jala. After being subjected to a drugged trial, Beaumont receives a sentence of forced labor. Enduring two years of harsh imprisonment, he manages to escape and returns to Paris intent on fulfilling his original assignment during N'Jala's official visit to France.

Upon discovering Beaumont’s intentions, his previous superiors, headed by Colonel Martin, escalate their attempts to thwart him. Beaumont moves between the residence of his estranged wife Jeanne and that of Alice Ancelin, his lover who also works within the secret service. Commissioner Rosen from the Repression and Intervention Brigade aggressively hunts Beaumont but ultimately falls victim to him.

By faking his death through an identity exchange with Rosen, Beaumont takes Inspector Farges hostage to avoid capture. He confronts President N'Jala at the Château de Ferrières, orchestrating a deadly encounter: he hands N'Jala an unloaded revolver which the president then points at him. Mistaking N'Jala for Beaumont, Farges shoots and kills the dictator. As Beaumont attempts to flee by helicopter escorted by N'Jala’s guards, Colonel Martin commands Farges to eliminate him; Beaumont is fatally shot in the back.

Cast

• Jean-Paul Belmondo as Josselin "Joss" Beaumont
• Robert Hossein as Commissioner Rosen
• Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu as Inspector Farges
• Jean Desailly as The Minister
• Cyrielle Clair as Alice Ancelin
• Marie-Christine Descouard as Doris Frederiksen
• Elisabeth Margoni as Jeanne Beaumont
• Jean-Louis Richard as Colonel Martin
• Michel Beaune as Captain Valeras
• Pierre Saintons as President N'Jala
• Pascal N'Zonzi as Arthur
• Gérard Darrieu as Instructor Picard
• Sidiki Bakaba as Escaped Prisoner
• Dany Kogan as Sergeant Gruber
• Marc Lamole as Hotel Waiter
• Radisa ''Steve'' Jovanovic as Policeman

Development

Jean-Paul Belmondo originally intended to star in Barracuda, a film directed by Yves Boisset and inspired by the Françoise Claustre hostage crisis in Chad (1974–1977). However, creative differences emerged between Boisset and Belmondo—Boisset favored incorporating political commentary, whereas Belmondo leaned towards a more adventure-driven narrative. Producer Alexandre Mnouchkine showed little interest in Barracuda and instead suggested adapting the 1978 novel Death of a Thin-Skinned Animal by British writer Patrick Alexander, part of the Série noire series.

When Boisset declined involvement, Belmondo, captivated by the book, decided to pursue its adaptation. Georges Lautner, who was available at that time, was appointed director, marking his third project with Belmondo following Flic ou voyou (1978) and Le Guignolo (1979). The screenplay was adapted by Michel Audiard, who transposed the setting from England to France. Nevertheless, the initial script did not meet the expectations of Lautner, Belmondo, or Mnouchkine. As Audiard shifted focus to writing Garde à vue, Francis Veber was brought in as a script doctor to polish the screenplay. Audiard’s reduced role led to his son, Jacques Audiard, receiving official screenplay credit.

The film’s title was altered at the behest of Belmondo and his publicist René Chateau, despite objections from Mnouchkine, Lautner, and Audiard.

The narrative and political backdrop were influenced by France’s intricate diplomatic ties with its former African territories during the Françafrique period under Jacques Foccart.

Filming

With a production budget of 20 million francs, shooting for Le Professionnel took place between 5 May and 13 July 1981. Scenes set in an African prison were filmed in the Camargue, utilizing students from Montpellier University as extras. Director Georges Lautner encountered logistical difficulties, including capturing the opening shot with a telephoto lens due to spatial limitations on set.

Filming then moved to Paris, where a car chase sequence near the Trocadéro was expertly coordinated by stunt coordinator Rémy Julienne. Jean-Paul’s father, Paul Belmondo, played a key role in facilitating filming permits. Interior shots were completed at the Studios d'Épinay.

The film’s climax was shot at the Château de Maintenon and Résidence Salmson Le Point du Jour in Boulogne-Billancourt, accompanied by a score composed by Ennio Morricone. The final scene faced initial opposition from producers but remained intact following persistent advocacy from Belmondo and Lautner.

Cast

The ensemble features Robert Hossein portraying Commissioner Rosen and includes Cyrielle Clair. Belmondo personally recommended Hossein to ensure compelling on-screen antagonism. Other prominent cast members are Jean Desailly, Élisabeth Margoni, and Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, alongside regular collaborators such as Michel Beaune and Pierre Vernier.

Popularity in Eastern Europe

Reflecting its themes and the warming Franco-communist relations of the era, Le Professionnel saw a limited distribution within the Soviet Union and allied nations like Poland. It attained widespread acclaim, becoming well-known throughout Eastern Europe.

See also

• Françafrique
• Three Days of the Condor