The 1970 French gangster film Borsalino is a stylish crime drama set in 1930s Marseille, starring Jean‑Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon as two small‑time crooks who rise through the underworld by force and ambition, only to be torn apart by loyalty and betrayal.

Basic Info

  • Title : Borsalino (1970)
  • Director : Jacques Deray
  • Stars : Jean‑Paul Belmondo (as François Capella), Alain Delon (as Roch Siffredi), Catherine Rouvel (as Lola)
  • Genre : Gangster / Crime / Drama
  • Setting : Marseille, France, in the early 1930s
  • Runtime : About 115 minutes

The title refers to the famous Borsalino hats worn by the two leads, symbolizing their sharp, elegant gangster style.

Story Summary

In 1930, Roch Siffredi (Alain Delon) is released from a short prison sentence and returns to Marseille looking for his former lover, Lola, a prostitute. He finds her with another gangster, François Capella (Jean‑Paul Belmondo), and the two men brawl in a bar over her.

Instead of staying enemies, they quickly become friends and decide to team up as partners in crime. At first, they’re small‑time hustlers, fixing horse races and boxing matches for local bosses.

They catch the attention of Marello and Poli, the two powerful crime bosses who control organized crime in Marseille. Through their lawyer Rinaldi, the bosses give them work and a cut of the profits, slowly building their reputation.

Rise and Fall

Siffredi and Capella grow bolder and decide to seize control of Marseille’s fish market from Marello, which they successfully pull off. Emboldened, they then try to take over the meat market, which is controlled by Poli.

This move breaks the uneasy peace between the bosses and makes them powerful enemies. Poli tries to have Siffredi and Capella killed, but the two outmaneuver him and end up killing Poli instead.

With Poli dead and Marello weakened, Siffredi and Capella become the new top bosses of Marseille’s underworld. However, their success brings tension: Capella, more emotional and wary of Siffredi’s cold ambition, decides to leave Marseille to start fresh elsewhere.

On the night he plans to flee, Capella is shot by an assassin and dies in Siffredi’s arms, marking the tragic end of their partnership.

Themes & Style

Borsalino is a classic French gangster film with a strong emphasis on:

  • Male friendship and loyalty – the bond between Siffredi (calm, calculating) and Capella (hot‑headed, passionate) is central to the story.
  • Style and image – the film is famous for its sharp suits, cigars, and, of course, the Borsalino hats, which became iconic symbols of the gangster look.
  • Ambition vs. survival – the two protagonists climb the criminal ladder, but their rise is also their downfall, showing how power and greed destroy even the closest alliances.

The tone is stylish and slightly romanticized, but it doesn’t shy away from violence and betrayal, ending on a melancholic, almost fatalistic note.

Sequel & Legacy

The film was so popular that it got a direct sequel, Borsalino & Co. (1974), again directed by Jacques Deray and starring Belmondo and Delon, continuing the story of the Marseille underworld.

Over the years, Borsalino has become a cult classic, often cited as one of the definitive French gangster films of the 1970s, praised for its chemistry between the two leads and its atmospheric depiction of 1930s Marseille.

Bottom line : Borsalino is a stylish, violent, and ultimately tragic tale of two Marseille gangsters who rise together and fall apart, remembered today for its iconic hats, sharp dialogue, and the legendary pairing of Belmondo and Delon.