Nostalgia Kinky

I’ve thought of Jean-Pierre Mocky often this past decade, even though I’ve yet to see many of his films. The reason Mocky continues to occupy a special place for me is his powerful 1974 drama, No Pockets in a Shroud. This is the film that offered Sylvia Kristel one of her earliest roles, and it was one of my favorites to research and write about while working on my book about Sylvia. No Pockets in a Shroud left a profound mark on me and secured the wildly nonconforming Mocky as a favorite. No Pockets in a Shroud is an unfairly overlooked and relatively little-seen film in Mocky’s influential canon. The same cannot be said for Solo (1970), Mocky’s moody crime thriller that secured International distribution, critical acclaim, and solid box office, unlike the relative failure of his later production with Sylvia. Recently released as a special-edition Blu-ray from Radiance, Solo is one of Mocky’s best-known films for a reason.

There’s nothing all that unique about Solo’s plot. Mocky’s script, co-written by No Pockets in a Shroud co-screenwriter Alain Moury, tells the story of a former thief and violinist who mistakenly gets involved with Post-68 leftists, in an effort to help his younger brother out. There’s a long cinematic lineage of older brother helping troubled younger bro out to his own detriment. Still Mocky’s sly observations about the politics of the day and class warfare, along with his sharp, sometimes near-satirical dialogue, keep Solo freshly invigorating.

Like No Pockets in a Shroud, Solo features Mocky in a riveting starring performance. Mocky’s a super charismatic film presence and an excellent actor, so any suggestion of pure-ego driven casting doesn’t come into play here. Solo, in fact, provides Mocky with a role ideal for his on-screen talents, and he plays the world-weary and sly musician trapped between the law and helping his brother extremely well.

Mocky’s direction is just as strong as his lead performance. Joined by future No Pockets in a Shroud cinematographer and frequent collaborator Marcel Weiss, Mocky crafts a strongly directed film with Solo thrilling in its execution and its methodical pacing, courtesy of legendary Marguerite Renoir, the great editing icon behind everything from The Rules of the Game (1939) to Masculin Feminin (1966).

With a strong ensemble cast, compelling, if not entirely unique story, excellent direction, and darkly beautiful, colorful neo-noirish cinematography, Solo is compelling stuff throughout, although repeated viewings definitely enhance its appeal. This upcoming Radiance edition features the acclaimed 4K restoration by Éclair Classics, and it is incredibly lush and beautiful. I’d so love to see No Pockets in a Shroud restored and released in such a sparkling state.

Extras are rather limited for Radiance, consisting of three archival interviews, including one with Mocky. This limited-edition reversible sleeved obi-stripped package also includes two additional text interviews with Mocky in the enclosed booklet. Sadly, a commentary track is not included on this release.

Like its Georges Moustaki-composed theme that plays repeatedly throughout, Solo lingers long after the credits fade. Upon initially finishing the film, I felt a touch underwhelmed, mostly due to my love for No Pockets in a Shroud. However, along with the theme, the film remained so strong in my thoughts that I revisited it fairly quickly a second time, and that’s when it all clicked. Solo is a moody and moving crime thriller from one of French Cinema’s great iconoclasts and rebels.

Solo can be ordered directly from Radiance or from MVD.

-Jeremy Richey, June 2026-