Who is Pepe & Mireille in a gangster story?

The story follows Pepe (Jean Gabin), a wanted gangster, as he holes up with his gang in a hideaway in the Parisian neighborhood of Algiers. Meanwhile, the local police inspector watches and waits for Pepe to make a false move, which inevitably occurs once he meets femme fatale Mireille Balin.

Why is Pépé le Moko a good movie?

Pépé le Moko is described as a foray into poetic realism and as the precursor to what became known as film noir. The movie works in large part because of Gabin, who portrays the gangster Pépé as a multidimensional character whose flaws are also his charms.

Why does 'Pépé' work so well?

The movie works in large part because of Gabin, who portrays the gangster Pépé as a multidimensional character whose flaws are also his charms. Humphrey Bogart gave off the same vibe as Rick in Casablanca (1942), a movie that in several ways echoed the exotic, inexplicable and fascinating world of French North Africa portrayed here.