John Woo, Jim Jarmusch, Walter Hill, David Fincher, and Johnnie To have all drawn on this legendary neo-noir crime flick by the master of cinematic stylishness Jean-Pierre Melville. Iconic French actor Alain Delon was literally born for the role of Jef Costello, a solitary hitman in a close-fitting trench coat whom we first encounter at a critical moment – just as the man who hired Costello tries to have killed the taciturn killer himself. This cinematic delicacy, admired by critics and audiences alike and seen by nearly two million viewers when it first hit French cinemas, keeps us entranced even upon repeat viewings thanks to its brilliantly rendered atmosphere of mystery and masterful sense for all-encompassing detail. A digitally restored version was completed this year.