Writing

José Giovanni

Born June 22, 1923 · Paris, France

Died April 24, 2004 · aged 80

José Giovanni (22 June 1923, Paris, France – 24 April 2004, Lausanne, Switzerland) was the pseudonym of Joseph Damiani, a French writer and film-maker of Corsican origin who became a naturalized Swiss citizen in 1986. A former collaborationist and criminal who at one time was sentenced to death, Giovanni often drew his inspiration from personal experience or from real gangsters, such as Abel Dano…

Known For

Le Trou

Le Trou · 1960

MovieDramaThriller

Four prison inmates have been hatching a plan to literally dig out of jail when another prisoner, Claude Gaspard, is moved into their cell. They take a risk and share their plan with the newcomer. Over the course of three days, the prisoners and friends break through the concrete floor using a bed post and begin to make their way through the sewer system – yet their escape is anything but assured.

The Sicilian Clan

The Sicilian Clan · 1969

The Sicilian Clan

MovieCrimeDrama

An ambitious mobster plans an elaborate diamond heist while seducing the daughter-in-law of a ruthless mob patriarch as a determined police commissioner closes in on all of them.

The Gypsy

The Gypsy · 1975

MovieDramaThriller

Two thieves, Hugo Sennart and Yan Kuq, wanted by the same police inspector, cross paths by chance.

My Friend the Traitor

My Friend the Traitor · 1988

My Friend the Traitor

MovieDramaThriller

After the end of World War II, a collaborationist seeks redemption.

Two Men in Town

Two Men in Town · 2014

Two Men in Town

MovieCrimeDrama

A convict is released from prison in a small town in New Mexico. 18 years ago he killed a deputy. The then-and-now sheriff seeks revenge.

Symphony for a Massacre

Symphony for a Massacre · 1963

Symphony for a Massacre

MovieCrimeDrama

A band of gangsters devise a plan to steal a game contested between two drug gangs of drug traffickers: the five fraudsters will face bigger problems than them.

Two Men in Town

Two Men in Town · 1973

Two Men in Town

MovieCrimeDrama

A former bank robber is released after 10 years in prison. He gets help from a social-worker, but gets harassed by an old cop from his past.

Ho !

MovieActionDrama

Race driver who has lost his membership card becomes the chauffeur of a gangsters pack

Filmography

Sort

Le Trou

Le Trou · 1960

MovieDramaThriller

Four prison inmates have been hatching a plan to literally dig out of jail when another prisoner, Claude Gaspard, is moved into their cell. They take a risk and share their plan with the newcomer. Over the course of three days, the prisoners and friends break through the concrete floor using a bed post and begin to make their way through the sewer system – yet their escape is anything but assured.

Novel

The Sicilian Clan

The Sicilian Clan · 1969

The Sicilian Clan

MovieCrimeDrama

An ambitious mobster plans an elaborate diamond heist while seducing the daughter-in-law of a ruthless mob patriarch as a determined police commissioner closes in on all of them.

Screenplay

The Gypsy

The Gypsy · 1975

MovieDramaThriller

Two thieves, Hugo Sennart and Yan Kuq, wanted by the same police inspector, cross paths by chance.

Director

My Friend the Traitor

My Friend the Traitor · 1988

My Friend the Traitor

MovieDramaThriller

After the end of World War II, a collaborationist seeks redemption.

Director

Two Men in Town

Two Men in Town · 2014

Two Men in Town

MovieCrimeDrama

A convict is released from prison in a small town in New Mexico. 18 years ago he killed a deputy. The then-and-now sheriff seeks revenge.

Screenplay

Symphony for a Massacre

Symphony for a Massacre · 1963

Symphony for a Massacre

MovieCrimeDrama

A band of gangsters devise a plan to steal a game contested between two drug gangs of drug traffickers: the five fraudsters will face bigger problems than them.

Writer

Two Men in Town

Two Men in Town · 1973

Two Men in Town

MovieCrimeDrama

A former bank robber is released after 10 years in prison. He gets help from a social-worker, but gets harassed by an old cop from his past.

Director

Ho !

MovieActionDrama

Race driver who has lost his membership card becomes the chauffeur of a gangsters pack

Novel

The Second Wind

The Second Wind · 2007

The Second Wind

MovieDramaCrime

Gu, a famous gangster, has just escaped from jail. All french police is after him. Before leaving the country with Manouche, the woman he loves, Gu needs a final job to get some money. The job works, but a police's scheming makes Gu appear as a traitor to his own accomplices. Gu will do whatever it takes to clean his honor...

Dialogue

The Last Adventure

The Last Adventure · 1967

The Last Adventure

MovieAdventureDrama

Two adventurers and best friends, Roland and Manu, are the victims of a practical joke that costs Manu his pilot's license. With seeming contrition, the jokesters tell Roland and Manu about a crashed plane lying on the ocean floor off the coast of Congo stuffed with riches. The adventurers set off to find the loot.

Screenplay

The Big Risk

The Big Risk · 1960

Two men pull off a daring daylight payroll heist in Milan, making a fast getaway. One is returning to France after years in hiding, needing money to start fresh with his family.

Novel

Le Deuxième Souffle

Le Deuxième Souffle · 1966

Le Deuxième Souffle

MovieActionDrama

A gangster escapes jail and quickly makes plans to continue his criminal ways elsewhere, but a determined inspector is closing in.

Writer

The Pariah

The Pariah · 1972

MovieCrimeDrama

For more than 15 years, two Marseille friends and criminals battle the law, rival gangs, prison authorities and even mined beaches in order to survive.

Director

The Wise Guys

The Wise Guys · 1965

MovieAdventureComedy

Hector Valentin returns to France from Canada when he inherits a small sawmill. He has difficulties restarting the run-down operation which has inefficient workers and is hampered by the dirty tactics of its bigger...

Dialogue

The Ruffian

The Ruffian · 1983

MovieDramaAdventure

The adventures of a group of friends who plan to recover crates full of gold from a fall in Canada.

Director

Boomerang

Boomerang · 1976

MovieCrimeDrama

A reformed gangster turns to his old associates for help after his son kills a police officer.

Director

Rififi in Tokyo

Rififi in Tokyo · 1963

Rififi in Tokyo

MovieAdventureCrime

Van Hekken, an old gangster, arrives in Tokyo to direct a bank hold-up in order to get a very valuable diamond.

Adaptation

Last Known Address

Last Known Address · 1970

Last Known Address

MovieThrillerCrime

Marceau Léonetti, a competent and energetic officer stops by chance the son of an influential lawyer driving under the influence of alcohol. A few months later, the lawyer falsely accuses Léonetti as being violent and incompetent. As a result Marceau is transferred to a small police station, where he meets young and beautiful Jeanne. Soon they are faced with a tough investigation.

Director

To Skin a Spy

To Skin a Spy · 1966

A French secret agent gets a license to kill when he is sent to Vienna to plug a security leak in this routine spy saga. He is caught in the crossfire of international enemy agents trying to eliminate the French.

Writer

L'Irlandaise

L'Irlandaise · 1991

A lonely advertising executive finds himself in charge of an Irish teenager with suicidal ideas about heroism.

Director

The Sewers of Paradise

The Sewers of Paradise · 1979

The Sewers of Paradise

MovieActionCrime

In July of 1976, the Societé Générale of France was robbed of well over $10 million dollars by a group burrowing through the sewers of Paris. This movie is based on a book by the thieves' mastermind, Albert Spaggiari. The famous theft won the nickname, "the great drain robbery," and this romanticized cinematic retelling of the true story stars Francis Huster as Spaggiari.

Director

Where Did Tom Go?

Where Did Tom Go? · 1971

Where Did Tom Go?

MovieActionAdventure

Tom is a secretary for an association which aims to free political prisoners. Skipping from inaction he plans and kills dictator Anton Caras. Arrested he ends up in a jail full of political prisoners for whose freedom he had been working. Eventually he manages to escape but only one would follow him. The others preferred to stay and testify before the court.

Writer

Crime à l'altimètre

Crime à l'altimètre · 1996

Crime à l'altimètre

MovieDramaCrime

A mountain climber devises a plan to eliminate the tyrannical husband of a young Vietnamese woman with whom he has fallen in love.

Director

One Way Ticket

One Way Ticket · 1971

MovieThrillerCrime

After a bank robbery gone wrong, a crook goes on the run across Belgium to escape the police, clear himself of a crime that he did not commit, and protect his girlfriend from a shady lawyer.

Director

The Old Fox

The Old Fox · 1977

SeriesCrimeDrama

A police department, lead by an older, experienced detective solve crimes together.

Director