In French with English Subtitles He's lost his past, he's lost his roots - but not his enemies. Legendary French stage and screen actor Alain Delon (René Clément's Purple Noon, Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï and Luchino Visconti's Rocco and His Brothers) stars as Frank Riva, an ex-undercover cop called in from retirement after 25 years of exile to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding the murder of his brother in a drug sting operation. He soon finds himself back on the trail of the notorious Loggia crime family, who had put a bounty on his head during the French Connection days. Frank is forced to pick up the pieces of a life he left behind a quarter of a century ago: his old flame Catherine, Nina Rizzi, the daughter he never knew, and Xavier Unger, his former partner, now chief of the Paris police. He must also put together a new team to confront the Loggia gang: Superintendent Lydie Herzog, his nominal superior, the headstrong Captain Hervé Sebastian, and rookie computer whiz Juliette Janssen. Frank Riva is a police officer who follows his instinct and refuses to be deflected from his mission, a man who ignores social convention and flouts rules and regulations, and who lives according to his own deep conviction of right and wrong.
G**R
A questionable attempt at old time crime drama...
My wife and I have been on a bit of a run with Nordic Noir dramas. I'd stumbled upon this while searching around and bought it because I knew my wife used to love Alain Delon.We really wanted to like this series but we just couldn't. Some strange decisions were made to make this like some 80's detective production. When the sultry sax started playing all the time, we knew we were in the wrong place with this series.There's an interesting mobster versus cop story here but between that sax and some rather stilted acting we barely made it past the first episode before just giving up. Plus, there's an actress speaking English but dubbed over in French which drove me crazy (I hate dubbing). You'd think there are plenty of female actresses in France that could be part of this production.It's a shame because there are some great actors involved. Jacques Perrin, Philippe Leroy, and of course Alain Delon. There was a lot of potential but in the end, it just felt flat, like someone wanted to just give it a try but without really trying to make a great series. Instead, they just wanted to bring some famous French actors together and have fun making a series.It's a personal opinion so take it with a grain of salt but I can't recommend this series.
M**.
Soap Opera
I've now watched 4 episodes. I am bored. There is so much of repetition, indicating, poor directing, boring plot. There is just nothing to make me want to watch more.Frank Riva, with his blank, withholding style, is the boringest. His look is almost always the same. We never or rarely get what is going on in his mind or life behind his goings on with his team.As I am writing this, having just finished the fourth of six long episodes, I am deciding to leave the rest alone and find it's a relief. The fact that it is ten years old is no excuse.
B**O
Wish fulfillment for the aging male.
Total wish fulfillment for the aging male. I summarize as follows: A broken-down old guy comes back to town and within weeks has two girlfriends (one of whom gets pregnant), discovers he has a long-lost daughter (who then has his grandson), forms a surrogate family of doting young admirers, and adopts a cat.
R**N
A Poor Effort
This really is a pretty miserable effort: thoroughly derivative plots, bad writing, acting barely above the soap opera level, woefully unskillful direction and cutting of scenes. It seems to be little more than a vehicle for the aging Delon, who essentially walks through his role, sleeping with two women about 40 years his junior and with an obvious opportunity to sleep with two others roughly the same age. One can't help but be amused by the credits at the end of each film, which list no fewer than 8 separate assistants to Monsieur Delon.
V**N
Frank Riva
This was a terrific Series!...I only wish there was more of them...It's not only a great detective story it also was a great family story...The actors are teriffic and the plot is fantastic...I really enjoyed every minute of it and would like to know if there is an equivlant to it...Watched it from beginning to end
C**A
to be utterly dull. This is an exception
With few exceptions I find mob-based dramas, especially American ones, to be utterly dull. This is an exception, and it is French. The supporting actors help the main character Riva come to life. Bigger than life perhaps, but that works with the plot, which has a few unexpected but not far-fetched twists. Also, the series comes to a natural conclusion. Bravo to the producers for not prolonging its life artificially beyond that point, like many series do (like Downton Abbey after the extraordinarily good first two seasons).
J**E
The Roar of Time
Alan Delon, who was the most gorgeous Frenchman on the planet, has aged. Not well. His face has gone south to gather in folds under his chin. The plot here is the old chestnut: a retired ace detective called back after 25 years to solve the murder of his brother, a police chief. He has to work with the police chief's staff, who noisily consider him past it. But he still has a few tricks to teach the young turks. And women from literally three different generations fall for his charms. Eh. I wish I didn't pay for this dvd.
H**R
Brilliiant acting & excellent story.
Would give this marvelous actor a 10 if I could. Brilliant story and superb acting. I paid $74 for this- no idea why Amazon or Amazon.co.uk don’t sell it direct- see the price has dropped by $25 since my 12/14 purchase. It was a Christmas present for my husband and we both enjoyed it tremendously.
V**R
how i love my dvd '"s frank riva"
thank you for such fast delivery i have already thanked you but i do not mind sending a second thank you.i had waited over ten year's to get the whole set of" frank riva " with english subtitles. so pleased to obtain from you just what i wanted many many thanks, and a happy new year to all the staff involved in sending me my dvd's
M**S
One Star
supposed to have English subtitles - it didnt
G**C
Frank Riva
everything was in perfect standing order.this a great series i love very much..and i love answer about movie and good in my collection..thank'sone problem the subtitles should be on request nut jam in movie
P**E
Ne pas proposer ce genre de produits Z1
Dvd zone 1 , non utilisable en l état
D**T
attention sous titré en anglais impossible de le retirer
J'ai mis une étoile parce que je ne suis pas emballé après visionnage de cette série. En effet, il y a deux choses qui me gène, la première est que la série est sous titrée en anglais, et la seconde le troisième épisode est tronqué. Il s’arrête à 10 minutes de la fin.
