Paul Elliott’s review published on Letterboxd:
Pépé le Moko is a cinematic treat which exemplifies itself with an evident deal of vigilance given to each detail, from the lighting to the dialogue, and, unsurprisingly, various genres and movements have laid claim to it over the decades.
Directed by Julien Duvivier and set in the Casbah of Algiers, it features a magnetic performance from Jean Gabin as the titular character; a wanted criminal who is out of reach of the French police all the time he resides in the North African citadel city. The time he has spent in the location has discovered him becoming both a somewhat distinguished local figure as well as a hostage to its location. It's an iconic role which brought Gabin to international prominence, and the tone of the movie is saturated in disillusionment in conjunction with a bittersweet nostalgia as the camera discerns Pépé being additionally insulated from arrest by a close circle of friends.
It exhibits an expressive look that's overseen by Duvivier who decides on showing little noticeable political attention to the French situation in Algiers. Instead, he concentrates on collaborating with cinematographers Marc Fossard and Jules Kruger in creating a heightened chicness with the film. Based on a novel by Henri La Barthe, it recedes squarely in the realm of the gangster genre albeit one which is highly romanticised and is rightfully attributed as an archetype to film noir as well as an authoritative manifestation of poetic realism.