Pépé le Moko

Director: Julien Duvivier
Year Released: 1937
Rating: 1.0

Humdrum picture with exotic locales that has mysteriously acquired the status of "classic": the police in Algiers are pursuing Pépé, a crude, self-centered criminal, while he's hiding out with the help of some admiring locals. There's some sort of love triangle going on, and he becomes mysteriously enamored with a Motherly French girl while the dark 'Whore' who sticks by him and loves him is quickly pushed aside. It's puzzling how such a slimy character as Pépé could be so popular - if he wasn't going to stab himself at the end I was itching for the chance.