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Bob le Flambeur (1956) movie poster

Timeline

Bob le Flambeur (1956) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1956 · 103 mins · French
Starring
Isabelle Corey, Roger Duchesne, Gérard Buhr, Jean-Pierre Melville, Howard Vernon, Claude Cerval

In Paris, legendary gambler Bob Montagne is admired by everyone, even police inspector Ledru. When his luck fails, he loses friends and decides on one final heist: robbing the Deauville casino during the Grand Prix weekend when the vaults are brimming. He soon discovers the game is rigged and the police are closing in.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Bob le Flambeur
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Bob le Flambeur (1956)

Where can you watch Bob le Flambeur? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Kanopy, Amazon Video and Apple TV Store: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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13 events in order · contains spoilers

Bob le Flambeur Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Bob le Flambeur (1956) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Opening: Montmartre, heaven and hell

    The film opens with a tracking shot around the Montmartre quarter, while Melville's narration frames the setting as both heaven and hell. The camera sweeps over the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur and the Montmartre Funicular, establishing a mood that blends beauty with danger. The narration foreshadows the double fate that will shape Bob's world.

    When
    opening
    Where
    Montmartre
  2. Bob's life in Montmartre

    Bob is a well-liked gambler and former bank robber who has kept a low profile for the past twenty years. He remains on good terms with Commissaire Ledru, a police official whose life he once saved. He shows a protective streak by letting Anne stay in his apartment to keep her away from Marc.

    When
    early
    Where
    Montmartre
  3. Anne moves in; Paolo is introduced

    Anne moves into Bob's apartment to avoid Marc's attentions, and Bob steers her toward his young protégé Paolo, who soon becomes involved with her. This arrangement underscores Bob's network and his role as a facilitator. The dynamic hints at the influence these relationships will have on the planned heist.

    When
    soon after
    Where
    Bob's apartment, Montmartre
  4. The plan to rob the casino takes shape

    Through Roger, Bob learns that the casino safe will hold around 800 million francs by 5:00 a.m. on race day. He decides to pull off the job, enlisting financing from McKimmie and assembling a team. Jean provides floor plans and safe specifications, and is paid with some of the money.

    When
    the night before the heist
    Where
    Casino de Deauville
  5. Anne leaks details to Marc

    The smitten Paolo brags about the upcoming raid to impress Anne, and she, not taking him seriously, tells Marc. Marc's eagerness to verify the information puts him on Ledru's radar. The leak offends the careful balance of the plan and raises the risk of exposure.

    When
    same day
    Where
    Montmartre
  6. Morning: Marc's exposure and Ledru's warning

    The next morning, Anne tells Bob what she did, and he and Roger search for Marc without success. Marc tells Ledru that he has heard about the caper and needs more confirmation, so Ledru lets him go. The tension between pursuit and secrecy intensifies.

    When
    morning
    Where
    Paris/Montmartre
  7. Paolo eliminates the informer

    Marc is killed when Paolo locates him and shoots the man dead just as he is about to reveal what he knows to Ledru. The leak is effectively silenced, but the plan itself remains at risk of exposure. The violence marks a brutal turn in the crew's dynamics.

    When
    morning
    Where
    Paris street
  8. Suzanne learns the money trail and reacts

    Suzanne discovers the origin of the money used to buy a bracelet and demands a larger share. She and Bob drive to Paris to locate Bob and Roger, but they fail to find them. Suzanne persuades Jean to back out and to pass information to Ledru anonymously.

    When
    aftermorning
    Where
    Paris
  9. Ledru closes in on the plan

    Believing the plan remains secret, Ledru leads a convoy of armed police toward the Deauville casino to intercept the raid. The pursuit adds pressure as timing becomes critical for the crew. The safe's guard and the team brace for confrontation.

    When
    morning
    Where
    Deauville
  10. The raid begins at 5:00 a.m.

    Bob enters the casino to check on the operation, and the team plans to burst in at 5:00 a.m. He cannot resist a winning streak at roulette and chemin de fer, which makes him lose track of time. The tension between timing and luck drives the narrative forward.

    When
    5:00 a.m.
    Where
    Casino Deauville
  11. Police arrive; shootout and Paolo's fate

    As the raid unfolds, police flood the casino and a shootout erupts. Paolo is shot during the chaos, and Bob confronts the consequences of his choices as the plan collapses around him. The crew's nerves and loyalties fracture under pressure.

    When
    shortly after 5:00 a.m.
    Where
    Deauville casino
  12. Capture and aftermath

    Bob and Roger are handcuffed and placed into Ledru's car, with the winnings loaded into the trunk. Ledru estimates that Bob will likely spend a short period in prison, while Roger believes he will be acquitted with a good lawyer. The ending hints at the price of ambition.

    When
    post-shootout
    Where
    On the road, toward Paris
  13. Closing: a wry ledger of gambles

    The film closes with Bob reflecting on the costs of his gambles, punctuated by a rueful quip about damages and lawsuits. The noir mood lingers as the cycle of risk and reward concludes in uncertain justice. The final moment ties back to the opening's heaven-and-hell motif.

    When
    ending
    Where
    car/road

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 11:22

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Timeline questions answered

Bob le Flambeur Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Bob le Flambeur (1956): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Bob Montagné decide to rob the casino after staying out of trouble for 20 years?

Bob's luck has been failing him, and he's losing friends as a result. With mounting bad luck and fewer resources, he sees the Deauville casino's vault holding 800 million francs during Grand Prix weekend as his final opportunity. The heist represents one last gamble to secure his future after years of playing it safe.

  • bob montagné
  • heist motivation
  • deauville casino
  • 800 million francs
  • final score
Q2

What is the relationship between Bob and Police Inspector Ledru?

Bob and Ledru maintain a cordial, almost friendly relationship because Bob once saved Ledru's life. This history gives Bob unusual latitude in Montmartre, allowing him to operate as a gambler without constant police interference. However, Ledru's loyalty to his duty ultimately overrides their personal bond when the heist plan emerges.

  • commissaire ledru
  • bob montagné
  • police relationship
  • montmartre
  • saved life
Q3

Why does Anne tell Marc about the planned heist?

Paolo brags about the upcoming score to impress Anne, but she doesn't take him seriously and shares the information with Marc during an intimate moment. She doesn't understand the danger she's creating until she sees Marc's reaction to the information and realizes she's stumbled into something dangerous.

  • anne
  • marco
  • leak
  • heist betrayed
  • paolo
Q4

Why does Paolo kill Marc?

After Bob warns Paolo that Marc is involved and could expose the plan to Ledru, Paolo locates Marc and shoots him dead just as Marc is about to reveal what he knows to the inspector. The murder silences the leak but marks a brutal turning point in the crew's operations.

  • paolo
  • marc
  • kill
  • murder
  • silencing witness
  • ledru
Q5

Why does Suzanne tip off the police about the heist?

Suzanne discovers that the money Bob used to buy her bracelet came from the heist preparation funds. Outraged at receiving only a small gift while risking her involvement, she demands a larger share. When Bob and Roger fail to meet her demands in Paris, she persuades Jean to withdraw from the plan and anonymously alerts Ledru, believing the operation is compromised.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Jean buys Suzanne a bracelet with money from the heist setup, which becomes the catalyst for her betrayal when she learns its origin.

  • suzanne
  • bracelet
  • betrayal
  • ledru
  • jean
  • heist compromised
Q6

Why does Bob start gambling at the casino when he said he wouldn't?

Bob vows not to gamble until after the heist is complete, knowing the operation depends on precise timing at 5:00 a.m. However, once inside the casino, he gets swept up in an extraordinary winning streak at roulette and chemin de fer. The luck he's been missing finally returns, and he loses track of time entirely, prioritizing the thrill of the streak over the heist schedule.

  • bob gambling
  • roulette
  • chemin de fer
  • winning streak
  • 5 a.m.
  • heist timing
Q7

Was the heist even necessary given Bob's gambling winnings?

The ending carries bitter irony: Bob wins a fortune at the tables, making the risky heist technically unnecessary. However, this triumph is undercut by Paolo's death during the police shootout and Bob's subsequent arrest. The heist may have been unnecessary financially, but the consequences, human loss and legal trouble, still unfold, embodying the film's theme of luck and fate working beyond human planning.

  • heist unnecessary
  • winnings
  • ironic ending
  • paolo death
  • bob arrested
Q8

Why does Bob let Anne stay in his apartment?

Bob takes in Anne to protect her from Marc, a pimp she's been avoiding. Bob despises Marc and offers Anne shelter despite knowing it creates complications. His protective gesture demonstrates his nature as a gentleman-criminal, generous and kind in certain ways, yet fully capable of planning major crimes.

  • anne
  • marco
  • protection
  • bob apartment
  • montmartre
Q9

How does Jean contribute to the heist plan?

Jean, an ex-con turned croupier at the Deauville casino, provides crucial intelligence: he learns about the 800 million francs that will be in the safe by 5:00 a.m. on race day. He also procures detailed floor plans of the casino and specifications of the safe, making the heist technically possible. His wife Suzanne later betrays the plan after discovering the money trail.

  • jean
  • croupier
  • floor plans
  • safe specifications
  • deauville casino
Q10

What happens to Inspector Ledru's investigation of Bob?

Ledru pursues Bob throughout the film, knowing something is afoot but struggling to gather proof. He uses Marc as an informant but Marc is killed before providing useful information. Eventually, Ledru reluctantly leads an armed convoy toward the casino. After the shootout, he handcuffs Bob and Roger, predicting Bob will serve only a short sentence. The ending suggests their professional relationship will continue even through incarceration.

  • ledru investigation
  • bob arrested
  • short sentence
  • police convoy
Q11

Who is McKimmie and what is his role in the heist?

McKimmie is a financier who backs the Deauville heist operation. Bob convinces him to provide capital for the job, assembling him as part of the crew. His involvement represents the business side of crime, the necessary financial backing that turns a criminal idea into an executable plan.

  • mckimmie
  • financier
  • heist funding
  • backing

Movie threads

More Movies Like Bob le Flambeur, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Bob le Flambeur tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Stylish heist films with a melancholic soul like Bob le Flambeur

Where meticulous criminal plans collide with the bleak poetry of fate. If you enjoyed the stylish yet downbeat atmosphere of Bob le Flambeur, you'll find similar movies here. Discover crime dramas and noir films where the tension of the heist is intertwined with a melancholic mood, philosophical themes, and bittersweet endings.

  • stylish
  • melancholic
  • fatalistic
  • tense
  • noir
  • reflective
  • Tone: melancholic, fatalistic, stylish
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative usually follows a seasoned professional orchestrating a high-stakes crime, often framed as a 'one last job'. The plot methodically builds the plan, but the emotional core revolves around the characters' motivations—redemption, desperation, or defiance—which often lead to an ending where success is ambiguous or pyrrhic.

Why they belong together: They are grouped by their unique blend of a cool, procedural crime plot with a sad, reflective atmosphere. The shared experience is of a stylish world where plans are perfect, but people are flawed, leading to conclusions that are more poignant than triumphant.

Fatalistic crime stories of one last gamble like Bob le Flambeur

Characters tempting fate in a cynical world, where luck is the ultimate antagonist. For viewers who liked the themes of gambling, fate, and the 'one last job' in Bob le Flambeur. These movies feature charismatic but doomed protagonists navigating a cynical world where their final roll of the dice leads to bittersweet or tragic consequences.

  • fatalistic
  • cynical
  • tense
  • noir
  • gambling
  • downfall
  • Tone: fatalistic, bleak, cynical
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The central pattern is a protagonist, often past their prime, who believes they can outsmart their deteriorating circumstances with a single bold act. The story explores their relationships and code of honor, building towards a climax where chance or betrayal intervenes, revealing that their control was always an illusion.

Why they belong together: They share a core fascination with luck, addiction, and the inevitability of downfall. The grouping is defined by a specific character arc—the gambler who believes in a system, only to be confronted by chaos—and a tone that is both coolly detached and deeply sad.

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Movies Like Bob le Flambeur

Similar movies to Bob le Flambeur: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

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Every angle

Bob le Flambeur (1956) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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