The Pariah

Set in Marseille during the 1930s, this crime drama follows Roberto Borgo, a skilled criminal believed to bring misfortune to his enemies. Roberto seeks to clear the name of his friend Xavier, who was wrongfully imprisoned for a murder committed by a local underworld boss. As Roberto builds his own criminal empire to fund Xavier's legal defense, both men face years of conflict involving rival gangs and prison authorities. Their struggle for survival extends past the Second World War, leading them from the beaches of Marseille to the power structures of Paris.

The film was written and directed by José Giovanni, marking the first of five listed directorial efforts, followed by Two Men in Town in 1973. It features Jean-Paul Belmondo in the lead role as Roberto Borgo, appearing alongside Claudia Cardinale as Georgia Saratov and Michel Constantin as Xavier Saratov. The production was a collaboration between French and Italian companies, specifically Lira Films and Praesidens.

Audience reception for the film is moderately positive, with a rating of 6.1/10 on IMDb based on 1,500 votes and a slightly higher score of 6.8/10 on TMDB from 137 votes.