"BASED ON A TRUE STORY" "We all dream of the same things." "A nice quiet life." "A happy family, a house." "Friends you can count on." "I was lucky, got all that." "And more..." "GANG STORY" "Aged 20, I didn't know it, but it's already too late." "Your fate is set." "I'd neglected my dad's advice." "Remember, three things make you a man." "Being decent, not talking a lot or straying from your path." "Except it doesn't work that way." "Your past is your flesh and blood." "And in the end, it drags you down." "5 WEEKS EARLIER..." "Jesus, son of the living God, we beg you to hear us out." "Most Holy Father, without your help we're all sinners." "We pray you to make us worthy of the heavenly kingdom you made for us since the Creation." "By this first sacrament that you receive today, you enter the world of the baptised." "The Lord rejoices, and promises to watch over you for your whole life." "May this child remain, in our eyes and forever, a gift from heaven, and like the earthly love that begat him, continue to grow and grow." " Yes?" " Lilou's not here." "How come?" "She's fetching her kid from school." "She'll join us at your party." "You OK?" "Remember, we're due at Momon's." "Why are you here?" "I heard of your problems." "I don't need you, Dad." "Don't believe that crap." " Who's this man, Mum?" " Your grandpa." "I've got a safe place for you." "Police!" "Freeze!" " Let go of him!" " Give me your wrists!" "Let him go!" "Get up!" "You fuckers had to bust me here?" "We're dumb cops, Serge." "We just obey." " Right." " Let's go!" "Why act cute, Serge?" "You'll die of old age in jail, forgotten." "Unless Zerbib gets you killed inside." "Your only hope is to rat on him." "Do that, and he'll get life." "Forget it, Lieutenant." "I won't blab." "What do you think?" "Momon'll bust his ass to get you out?" "Gypsies don't belong here!" " And you stink." "Beat it!" " Your mum doesn't make you wash?" "Ratfaces don't have a mum!" "I mean you, ratface!" "Let him go, creeps!" " I'm Serge Suttel." "And you?" " Momon." "Momon won't lift a finger." "Code of honour, solidarity." "All that's over." "He's an old fart who drinks and plays cards in his bar." "APRIL 1964" "He looked like my dad." " A crate of cherries!" "Pull up, Serge!" " Hurry!" " Grab the onions, too." " Want an onion?" "Idiot!" " Who decided to steal the goods?" " Wasn't theft, we were drunk." "Which of you two?" "It was me." "They're juicy!" " Size of your balls, eat some!" " But I got two!" " To you that's fine?" " What?" "Taking what isn't yours." " Come on, eat 'em!" " Drive!" "Whoever takes something not his, is guilty of theft." "That's French law." "And French law applies to everyone." "Even those of your race." "We're not a race, we're a people." "You'll both go to jail for 6 months." "You'll have time to think it over." "For those cherries?" "For those cherries, yes." "As you wish, Serge." "But think fast, tomorrow's too late." "Once you're inside, I can't help you." "Raise your arms!" "Open your mouth." "Wider!" "Pants down." "Shorts, too." "Turn around." "Turn!" "Serge worked for thugs paid by Roland Zerbib, as go-between with his Spanish suppliers." "He crossed them and got on their hit list." "That's why he beat it back to Lyon." "Now they'll waste him like a dog." "With Zerbib's contacts in jails, he's a goner." "So what do we do?" "Hit the jailhouse with rockets?" "Serge made two mistakes, crossing Zerbib and dealing dope." "He looked for trouble and got it." " You're saying that?" " Yes, I am." "Momon, he's our pal." "OK, he fucked up, but we've got to act." "So we'll act." "We'll get him a top lawyer and bribe the guards to protect him round the clock." " Momon?" "There's guys out front." " I'm coming." "I didn't want them to miss the party." "But Serge won't be able to come." "Serge who?" "On the run for 13 years." "Dumb!" "It was 13 years outside." "How'd you find him?" "Want the names of the cops who nabbed him, too?" "By screwing everyone, he made enemies." " Got a message for him?" " You playing postman?" "Who's he?" "Brauner, the new Crime Squad boss." "We'll deal with that, too." "You knew what your dad did?" "No, Momon." "That's your scene, not mine." "The cops did that to you?" "Was it Carlo?" "A wife-beater isn't a man." "Say the word, I'll have your hubby's hands cut off." "Come along." "You OK, kid?" "Is he nice to you?" "See, you're not scared any more." "He's a good dog." "He's my best friend!" "You're sad?" "You've got us." "Don't mess with other men's wives on my turf, OK?" "We're just talking, Momon." " Thanks for the money." " Son, it's so the kid lives well." "And doesn't have to do like Grandpa." "But I love his grandpa, he's the only dad I wanted." "Go and ask mum to dance." "Think you'll wow me this way?" "It worked the first time." "You smell good." " What's your name?" " Janou." " You like kids, Janou?" " Sure." "You want some?" "Some day, maybe." "First I got to find their dad." "You've found him." "I mean it." "I saw you and said, that's her." " You use that line often?" " It's the first time." " I want you for life." " Sure." "Those are just words." "My word's my bond." "Ask around." " What will you do for Serge?" " What he'd have done for me." "Meaning?" "Nothing violent, Janou." "You have my word." "It'll all be legal." "You should go to bed." "It's late." " Hi, Momon." " Give me a light." "Things OK, Tony?" " They're in the back." " I was tailed, don't know by who." " Cops?" " Doubt it." "I'll handle it." " Momon, things OK?" " Yeah." "The lawyer says it looks shit." "Serge's headed for the Arles pen." "The good news is he'll be in solitary, watched day and night." "With guards to hold his cock when he pees." "The bad news is that he'll go nuts in no time at all." " When's he being moved?" " No, Christo." "We've discounted that." "The cops can outgun us oldies." "And I promised Janou." "We can do it." "Who are you?" "We did the Aix Casino heist." "We've teamed up." "They'll do it for you." " Well, Momon?" " It won't work." "If you don't have the balls, we'll do it." "Speaking of balls, Carlo..." "Mine are where they belong." "I don't use them to beat up my woman." " Cut it out, Momon!" " Leave him alone!" " Stay out of it!" " That'll do!" "You hit Lilou again, I'll bury you alive." "Got that?" " You got that?" " That'll do, Momon." "Vincent...get me a rag." "When can we see your guys?" " When you want." " I want." "WE'RE READY SUNDAY 28TH." "GET MOVED TO EMERGENCY." "Our pal's leaving the house, headed into town." "He just passed us." "Headed for you, Chief." "I got him." "Entering Jaurès Avenue." "I stick on his tail to Sablons." "5  6, take over on the bypass." "Roger, 6." "Command to all." "They're coming out." "Let us do our job." "We'll advise you when he's due out." "Wait there." " He'll be driving by, Biker." " Roger." " He still on our tail?" " Yeah." "What the fuck's all this?" "What they up to?" "Trying to shaft us." "Park your ass." " Can I go for a piss?" " Sure." " Your badge?" " We're cops, too." " Your badge?" " Move!" "Get down!" "Get down!" "Shit, get down!" "Hey!" "You two!" "Fuck off!" "Hit the deck!" "Your gun!" "No one move!" "Let's split!" "I wasn't there, Janou." "The cop who died was a mother of two." "One is your grandson's age." "It was on TV all night." "I wasn't there." "I farmed out the job." "Big mistake." "I did 30 months in jail for you." "Because I loved you." "It seemed normal." "Now I don't know what's normal." "It's doing what you have to do, whatever the risks." "Will that help me sleep?" "If I hadn't acted, I'd have been sleepless for life." "Thinking of Serge in the pen." "Fuck Serge!" "I think of our kids." "Of our life before he came back to screw it up." " You miss prison that much?" " Cut it out, go to bed." "Sure." "Hey, bro!" "You OK?" "Welcome back." "Your pal's better." "The doc fixed him up." "Here's your dough." "Now scram, out of my sight!" "Where to?" "Every cop's after us." "I know a place for you, Carlo." "Where no one'll find you." "You heard Momon?" "Get lost!" "Get lost!" " What'll you tell Lilou?" " That her troubles are over." "Momon?" " When d'you get out?" " Three weeks ago." "You doing fine?" "I'm getting by." "What's your racket?" "Break-ins, car thefts..." "Whatever." "I've got jobs for you." "Interested?" "Depends." "Monday, be at the Café Parisien." "Come, it's up to you." "Jean Dauger's gang are big time." "He's a top mobster." "But there are rules." "One: ask no questions." "Two: only talk if asked to." "Three: not a word about what you hear." " You into politics?" " No." "Not at all." "You should be." "If the lefties ever get elected, guys like us, with a record, will be in camps like the Jews." "They want to prevent that." "They're the SAC." "De Gaulle's secret guys." "They find us heists, we do them, and we split the loot." "The dough finances a party to fight the left." " Riton." " Chavez." "Raoul." "My gypsy pal, Momon Vidal." "We were cellmates." "Hi." "Berri, Cheveux, Raoul, Riton, Nick the Greek." "Let's go!" "So, we'll be up against four cops with machine guns and five guards." "We heard they expect a heist, so it may get rough." " That doesn't scare me." " Me, neither." " Raoul?" " If there's loot to grab, I'm in." "And you, Greek boy?" "I'm so strapped, I'm hustling old biddies at tea dances!" "Count me in." "Kid?" "I'll do like Chavez." "Fine." "In my view, a good stick-up is like an army assault." "Back-up car." "Have one, in case the first breaks down." "With a set of licence plates for each county you cross." "Return route." "After each job, take the longest way home." "If it's 300 miles, make it 1000." "Take back roads, avoid motorways and towns with federal cops." "It's how you dodge roadblocks." "It means casing roads, fatigue." "But a 20-hour drive beats 20 years in the pen." "Put down your gun!" "Hands on your head!" " Got it!" " Eyes down!" "TAX COLLECTION CENTRE, DEC 30, 1970" "Cops!" "Don't move!" "EVREUX POST OFFICE, APRIL 13, 1971" "I spoke to Chavez." "He'll take you on." "I won't work with De Gaulle's thugs." "I thought Chavez was big time." "Yeah, but the others stink of death." "We line our pockets for six months, then split." "They'll teach me the craft." "Then I'll set up my own gang." "It'll just be us." "Went OK?" "No cops on the road?" "Come along." " Quite a load of booze!" " Why not?" " So it's an all-guy party!" " The chicks'll be right up." "Guys, Raoul's bro." "Hey, kid." "Relax, kid." "You want to see hoods?" "You got 'em." "Sit down, it's happy time." "Chavez, why'd you do that?" "I hear you work with jokers and flash your dough about." "So people wonder where it came from." "Your kid bro brags you hit the jackpot." " He's 17, he won't talk." " Too late." "I did nothing, sir!" "Shut your mouth!" " I'm going to quit, Joan." " Quit what?" "I'm through with stick-ups." "I want my money, then I raise my kid." "What's this shit?" "Momon!" "You're not made for baby bottles." "You'll be bored shitless." "Did your chick feed you that crap?" "One last job, then you do what you want." "Got a problem?" " Momon wants to quit." " I heard you set up your own gang." "And you plan to cross us." "True or bullshit?" "Don't fuck around with me, gypsy." "Keep doing what you're told." "You only quit when I say so." " When do I get my 200 grand?" " When I can pay you, kid." "I'm not your kid." "I did big jobs." "Give me my money and we're quits." "Get down, Janou!" "You OK?" "We've got to stand up to them." "Or the fuckers won't stop." "You've got too much on them." "They tried to waste your wife and kid." "They're pigs." "They're in with the politicos and local cops." "If we do one in, the cops'll be on our ass." "We've already got them on our ass." "It's better than being dumped in a hole, eaten by worms." "So what do we do?" "Jeannot!" "On your knees!" "You're being dumb, Momon." "We've got big backers." "They'll come after you." "France is at stake here." "Your whole family will pay, motherfucker!" "Damn it, Momon!" "I taught you everything!" "You won't be the big man, just a turd." " You screwed me." " It wasn't my doing!" "We'll start a new gang." "We'll be rolling in dough." "You can have all I got." "Even my chateau." " Screw your chateau." " Fucker..." "I've set up a bed and food up there." "Your friend must be gone in a week." "Thanks, Father." "How's Janou?" "Fine." "And your kids?" "Stan just had a son." "How many times are you a grandpa?" " Seven." " Hats off!" "I don't know how you do it." "I grow older." "And you, Dany?" "Still count your hairs in the mirror?" "In the slammer, you wore a hairnet to save them." "Remember him?" "Even in jail, he was vain." "It was implants or a shorter dick, so I shortened my dick." "All the chicks complained." "Thanks for what you did, guys." "I didn't want to die in jail." " What's all this with Zerbib?" " Forget that fucker." "It's my problem." "Serge, when they tail me and threaten me, it's mine too." "I owe him some dough." "How much?" " A lot." " What's a lot?" "A lot, I said." "Serge, if you screwed Zerbib, tell us." "I screwed nobody, Momon!" "How long have you known me?" "I owe that creep money." "I can't pay it back." "Maybe we can help, right?" "If you want to help me, hide Lilou and her kid in a safe spot." "Thirteen years I haven't seen you, and you're so grim." "Cheers." " To the Lyon Gang!" " To the Lyon Gang!" "Here they come." "Hands up!" "Throw out your guns!" "Move it!" "Pull over!" "Open the trunk." "Move!" ""Who's behind the Lyon Gang?" ""After their hold-ups all over France," ""a new record:" "the Mulhouse post office!" ""Over a million, in small bills."" "Shit, guys!" "We're stars!" "To the Lyon Gang!" " I'm a farm boy, you idiot." " Don't talk crap, Serge." ""The Farm Boy Gang strikes again." That's no headline!" "Shut up and eat your sausage." "Here, Serge." "When's the next stick-up?" "Maybe Burgundy." "There's money to grab." "Then we slow down." "The cops are moving in." "Want to quit?" "I got a scam." "A dope deal in Spain." "Mucho moolah, less risk." "Sergio wants in on it." "Pays ten times more." "It's like ten heists in one run." "I want no part of that filth." "Come on." " Go and check the horses." " They're yours?" "Yours and mine." "Have fun." "Bedrooms are upstairs." "Christo'll do the shopping and protect you." "You're safe here, nobody knows the place." "For how long?" "Time to settle things." "And Carlo?" "He's not here?" "Carlo's dead, Lilou." "Did my dad kill him?" "Tell him not to come and kiss us goodbye." "Carlo was my son's dad." "What do I tell Lucas?" "That his dad was a pig who deserved his death." "Tell him that." "You think that too?" "I just care for you and the kid." "Why'd you do so much for Serge?" "Because he's like a brother to me." "Serge, wake up!" "There's cops everywhere!" "Shit!" " We won't make it!" " We always do!" "We're screwed!" "Police!" "Don't shoot!" "Let go, son of a bitch!" "Don't move!" "Give me your wrists!" "Don't move!" "I got your whole gang." "Christo, Dany, Pipo, Serge..." "The Lyon Gang's over." " I don't follow you." " In two days, you'll be less cute." "And Georges Malakion, aka Shaïn, you don't know him either?" "Denying it all won't help you, pal." "We moved when we had the goods on you." "We've been on your ass two years." "Two years of weekends without our wives, staked out watching you get laid, so we're a bit edgy." "We invested in scrap metal." "Let's try another tack." "You like steaks, Momon?" "Answer." "You like steaks?" "Yeah, I do." "Get in!" "Remember it?" "An historical lunch, Bastiani and Momon Vidal." "In the middle that jerk Mangin shitting his pants." "I haven't forgotten a thing, Momon." "The greenhorn sitting right there was me." "Fresh out of cop school." "Refill, please!" "Know why I brought you here?" "For the pleasure." "To get to know you." "As a rule, thugs aren't my thing." "Their deeds, lives, big mouths, don't grab me at all." "I prefer honest folks." "It has to do with my background, my principles." "Thanks." "But you're special." "Good father, good son, good husband." "Good friend." "I've got to admit it, moments like that are rare in a cop's life." "I'll tell you a secret." "The guy I admired that day wasn't Bastiani." "It was you." "I almost hoped you'd avoid arrest." "You could have, I know that." "But you gave us your word." "Back then, thugs had a word." "They didn't mow down cops in hospital waiting-rooms." "Without the stick-ups, you'd have made a fine son-in-law." "You've got no proof." "I got a map from a hangar one of your pals led us to." "With the routes of all your latest heists." "We also found guns and loot." "Enough to put you away for 20 years." "Our guys don't rat." "There's nothing to rat about." "One can be wrong about pals." "Even you." "You didn't bust Suttel out, but you knew about it." "I just hope you weren't in charge of that mess." "I've been in charge of nothing for 25 years." " All top cops know that." " A sleeping thug is a thug, Momon." "As one ages, wake-up calls get harder." "Especially in a jail cell." "I won't let up, till you deliver your pal." "You'll lose everything: your wife, home, kids, your kids' kids." "It's more than you can take." "Listen to this, Lieutenant." "If that ever happens, I'll be just as rough." "This time it's on me." " Why's the Greek not here?" " Shut your mouth!" "Stop, you fucker!" "Stop!" "Let go of me!" " Say he's the boss and we'll stop." " Go and eat your mum's pussy!" " Gypsies are all scumbags." " I'm Armenian." "Stop, you fucker!" "Stop!" "Come on, champagne all round!" "It's Suttel's treat." "We grabbed 100,000!" "That motherf..." "That motherfucker wasted my buddy Carlo!" "Champagne, damn it!" "It's Yasmine." "There's a loudmouth saying he helped bust out Suttel." "He's armed and flashing dough." "OK." "No, no!" "The dog was a warning." "Next time, we impale your wife, fucker." "Who are you, what do you want?" "Suttel's address." "Then we quit bugging you." "Listen, you fuck, there are two possibilities..." "You don't know who I am to talk like that." "Or you got the wrong number." "Pray it's the latter." "Tonight I'll be gone, Momon." "Why all the cops?" "They fear a jailbreak." "Once you're my wife, they can't bust you." "No collusion between spouses." "Tell us where Suttel's hiding and we'll leave." "We asked your pal Diego but he wouldn't talk." "We know you know." "Want your balls sewn in your mouth?" "I was just on his break-out." "I don't know where he is, I swear." "I swear!" "No!" "Stop!" "No!" "I'm listening." "I fuck his daughter now and then." "I know where she's hiding." "Lilou and the kid are on Christo's farm." "They're fine." "She said don't come visit." "She's pissed off about Carlo." "You had to kill him, or was there more?" "You're a pain, like a cop." "What are you getting at?" " Just trying to understand." " There's nothing to understand." "Zerbib is small-time." "Someone bigger is pulling the strings." "Who else did you shaft?" "Serge, I have to know." "They killed my dog, threatened my family." "To hit back, I have to know them." "Soon I'll be gone." "You can relax again." "Don't worry." "Go to your bedroom." "I'll be up in five minutes." " Night, fella." " Night, Christo." " What'll happen to my father?" " You don't need to know." " And if the cops haul you in?" " We'll do as we always did." "Clam up and get beaten." "Get beaten or talk, that's it?" "That's it." "Quick, hurry!" "Wait." "Get in there." "Don't move, OK?" "Age slows one's reflexes, Christo." "I still got enough juice... to ream your mum's ass, shithead!" " Mum!" " Lucas, don't worry!" "Don't worry." "Put on the Greek." "Dirty fuckers..." "The fuckers!" "Don't stay there." " Sorry, son, you're all I've got." " We'll take care of him." " Is your mother all right?" " She's lost the habit." "So have I." "I know where to find Zerbib." "A life for a life." "You know the rule." "Go fuck yourselves." "Stop it, Serge." "We know your address, don't forget." "You get your papers and money in two days." "Then we're quits." "Who are you calling?" " Yeah?" " It's me." "The kid spoke to me." "He heard one guy phone the Greek." "T o the Lyon Gang!" "The Lyon Gang!" " Why's the Greek not here?" " We're stars!" "You a real or a fake gypsy?" "Reassure me." "Is it true what they say about Greeks?" "He's got you there!" "He's good, real good!" "Champagne!" "What is it now?" "May I?" "I hope it wasn't used to kill Zerbib." "Coffee?" "Our Grenoble office filled me in." "They've got a witness." "His girl was in the pool when he got wasted." "She said it was two guys in their 50s, but the description was vague." "Did you nip down to Grenoble last night?" " Sugar?" " No sugar." "Well, Momon..." "We've got to go to my office for questioning." "Shower and pack a small bag, it may take a while." "Give me two days, Brauner." "Then I'll meet you." "You have my word." "It's 8:54." "In two days at my office, same time." "A minute late is an extra year in jail, OK?" "MARBELLA, SPAIN" "As for Momon Vidal, said to be the boss of this bunch of blackguards, he's not a mobster, he has no blood on his hands." "He doesn't deserve the life sentence wanted by the Prosecution." "He was unjustly sent to jail aged 18 for stealing a crate of cherries." "You asked for five years for Jeanne Vidal, claiming it was "lenient"." "In fact, she was only her husband's wife." "Even if she'd known what he did, she couldn't have turned him in." "Don't split up this couple." "Jeanne deserves to be freed tonight." "As for Edmond Vidal, I ask you for a fair sentence." "One that leaves him hope." "Ladies and gentlemen, the Court will retire." "It will resume after the deliberations." "We didn't spill enough about the SAC and the politicos." ""Politics," they say, "looks like a turd, but should stink less."" "Let all that shit lie." " And if I get life?" " You won't, trust me." "You'll have to do a bit of time." "That's how it is." "Not for your robberies, for your insolence." "You ridiculed them for over four years." "Even without evidence, they'll make you pay." "Because the Greek squealed!" "We're not sure it was him." "You only know what the cops said." "Oh, yeah?" "Then why isn't he here with us?" "How many years has it been?" "I forget." "I know you're mad at me, Momon." "You're wrong, I never squealed." "When I tried to warn you, it was too late, the cops had nabbed Dany and Christo, surrounded the camp." "Why did you never contact me?" "What for?" "You had Christo and Serge's daughter killed, why?" "Your buddy Serge fucked me over." "When I sit on something hard, I think of him." "If you hadn't been so stupid to bust him out of jail," "Christo and Lilou would be alive," "I'd still be in business with Zerbib, and you'd be in tight with your wife." "But that was too simple for you." "You had to flash your big gypsy balls." "On behalf of holy male friendship." "All for that shit, who doesn't deserve a pauper's grave." "Why do all that for that prick?" "As you said, holy male friendship." "Ten years ago, I entrusted him to be my go-between with the Grenoble boys, and he screwed me!" "Did he ever screw me!" "Nobody screws me, Momon." "I can't let him get away with it." "That's not on!" "You came for nothing, Momon." "Until you give me that bastard Suttel's hideout," "I'll keep looking for it..." "Even if it harms those close to you." "This...is 95% pure." "Gives you a hard-on like a 20-year-old." "A man with a hard dick is a dangerous man." "Your Greek pal got rubbed out in Spain." "We got a fax this morning." "He wasn't my pal." "The Greek and Christo dead, not much of the Lyon Gang left." "Just Suttel, Dany and you." " Want a coffee?" " Sure." "Here, read it." "What's this piece of shit?" "That's your pal Serge's statement." "He was the rat." "We never told you, we cut a deal with him." "He informed us from jail of the heists being set up." "When he got out, we "forgave" his dope deals." "Until he screwed us and killed two guards in an armoured-van stick-up." "Serge isn't a rat, I don't believe you." "You saw the interrogations?" "No." "I did." "The cops were so rough, one committed suicide later." "He never got over it." "Anyone would have ratted." "As for the Greek, we'll tell the Spaniards that Zerbib's gang did it." "We'll call it mob revenge." "For the rest, it's give and take." "Give me your pal's hideout, and you're free." "With a clean slate, Janou'll take you back, and you go home with her." "None of us rat, there's nothing to rat about." "One can be wrong about one's friends." "Even you." "The Court sentences Edmond Vidal to 10 years' imprisonment." "Jean-Pierre Vadeboeuf, aka Christo, to 10 years' imprisonment." "Dany Devedjian to 7 years." "Serge Suttel to 5 years' imprisonment," "Jeanne Santoro, Vidal's wife, to 5 years, with 2 suspended." "Serge!" "You OK?" "Fine." "Got my papers?" "Passport, driver's licence, credit cards." "Thanks." "How's Lucas?" "Don't worry." "He's in good hands." "There's one bullet in the mag." "Make good use of it." "What does that mean?" "You've been a rat for 35 years." "Try to end up like the hood you once were." "EDMOND VIDAL IS NOW 66" "HE STILL LIVES IN LYON WITH JANOU" "THEY HAVE THREE CHILDREN AND EIGHT GRANDCHILDREN"