Description
Original US 1 sheet, used, folded (60 x 104 cm)
Backfire (French: Échappement libre) is a 1964 French crime film directed by Jean Becker, which stars Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Seberg, reuniting for the first time since Breathless (1960).
Plot
A criminal organisation offers a Parisian man, David, $10,000 to transport a car across Europe. They tell him little about it except that drugs are not involved. He is accompanied by a photographer, Olga.
David discovers he is smuggling gold. The two travel to Beirut then Damascus. They fall in love and David wants the gold for himself.
Cast
Jean-Paul Belmondo as David Ladislas
Jean Seberg as Olga Celan
Enrico Maria Salerno as Mario
Gert Fröbe as Fehrman
Renate Ewert as Comtesse
Jean-Pierre Marielle as Van Houde
Diana Lorys as Rosetta
Fernando Rey as the Lebanese policeman
Wolfgang Preiss as Grenner
Michel Beaune as Daniel
Roberto Camardiel as Stephanidès
Fernando Sancho as Ylmaz
Giacomo Furia as Nino
Production
The film was made by the same team who had produced Banana Peel (1963).
It was to have starred Jean Louis Trintignant but he withdrew and was replaced by Belmondo.
Filming took place from February 10 to April 7, 1964. Costa-Gavras was an assistant director.
Reception
The film was the 19th most popular movie at the French box office in 1964
