Bonnot's Gang (La bande à Bonnot)

Bonnot's Gang La bande à Bonnot French Poster Country France Italy Directed by Philippe Fourastié Release Date 1968 Language French Studio Kinesis Films Main Cast Character Actor Jules Bonnot Bruno Cremer Raymond Callemin alias Raymond la Science Jacques Brel Marie Vuillemin alias Maria la Belge Annie Girardot Octave Garnier Jean-Pierre Kalfon Édouard Carouy François Dyrek André Soudy Dominique Maurin Victor Kibalchich Michel Vitold Vice-Chief Louis Jouin Armand Mestral

Bonnot's Gang (La bande à Bonnot) is a 1968 French-Italian historical crime film directed by Philippe Fourastié. It depicts the story of the infamous Bonnot's Gang, a French criminal anarchist group that committed a number of robberies in France and Belgium in 1911-1912.

The following weapons were used in the film Bonnot's Gang (La bande à Bonnot):

Revolvers

Ruby Extra

When Jules Bonnot (Bruno Cremer) meets with Raymond, Carouy and Soudy who tried to steal his suitcase, he draws a snub nose revoler that resembles anachronistic Smith & Wesson Model 10HB. Octave Garnier (Jean-Pierre Kalfon) holds a similar revolver, among other weapons, during the final shootout. Police detectives also use similar guns in several scenes. Only a single gun is seen in a time so probably a single prop is reused. Judging by the shape of the front sight that differs from Model 10, the revolver is supposed to be a Ruby Extra, a Llama produced variant of Model 10.

Ruby Extra with 2.5" barrel - .38 Special

Bonnot draws the revolver and demands his suitcase back. The bottom chambers of the revolver seem to be empty while the chamber on top looks loaded.

A police detective, disguised as a fisherman, aims a snub nose revolver at André Soudy who rests on a seaside.

Another view of the detective's revolver.

The shape of the front sight can be seen.

A police detective at the left holds a snub nose revolver during the arrest of Édouard Carouy. The shape of the front sight can be seen.

Another view of the detective's revolver.

Garnier holds a snub nose revolver during the final shootout. The square butt is seen.

Another view of Garnier's revolver.

Jules Bonnot's revolver is seen on a promotional image. In the movie itself the revolver in this scene is seen from a different angle (compare with the first screenshot of this section).

What is supposed to be the same revolver is held by Jacques Brel on a photo from the set. Note the engraved nickel plated FN Model 1910 pistol (see below) that lies on the stairs to the left.

St. Etienne Mle 1892

St. Etienne Mle 1892 revolvers are used by Jules Bonnot (Bruno Cremer) and Octave Garnier (Jean-Pierre Kalfon) in several scenes, notably during the final shootout. Police personnel, both plainclothes and uniformed, also use Mle 1892 revolvers.

Modele d’Ordonnance Mle 1892 Revolver - 8x27mm SR

During the attempt to arrest the gang in Brussels, Garnier draws an Mle 1892 revolver.

A police detective in disguise holds an Mle 1892 revolver during the arrest of Raymond.

Another detective in disguise holds an Mle 1892 revolver.

Bonnot holds a revolver when police breaks into his hideout.

Mle 1892 revolvers are seen in hands of police personnel during the final shootout.

Bonnot fires at police.

Bonnot reloads his revolver.

Garnier with an Mle 1892 revolver and Bonnot with an Mle 1892 revolver and an FN 1903 pistol are hiding under the fire of the machine gun.

Bonnot dual-wields his guns.

Unidentified revolver

During the robbery of a collection clerk, Raymond la Science (Jacques Brel) is armed with a nickel plated revolver. It resembles Mle 1892 but seems to be rather compact.

Raymond holds the revolver while trying to unfasten the cash bag from the clerk's hand.

Pistols

FN Model 1903

A favoured handgun of Jules Bonnot (Bruno Cremer) is an FN Model 1903 pistol. Édouard Carouy (François Dyrek) holds an FN 1903 during the first robbery, commited by the gang.

FN Browning Model 1903 - 9x20mm Browning Long

Bonnot draws an FN 1903 pistol when the gang breaks into a rich house.

Bonnot holds the pistol in the same scene.

Carouy draws an FN 1903 when the gang prepares to attack a collection clerk. The heel of the grip is seen.

Another view of Carouy's pistol. The slide with the markings is seen better.

Bonnot holds his FN 1903 while driving the car.

After the temporary dissolving of the gang, Bonnot meets visiting André Soudy with a pistol in hand.

During the final shootout, Bonnot's FN 1903 is seen on the table together with an Mle 1892 revolver, a pair of FN 1922 pistols (at the far left and at the bottom) and numerous pistol cartridges and shotgun shells, mostly looking spent.

Bonnot dual-wields his guns.

FN Model 1910

In several scenes, Raymond la Science (Jacques Brel) holds a nickel plated, engraved FN Model 1910 pistol with pearl grips. The pistol is also briefly held by Maria la Belge (Annie Girardot).

FN Model 1910 - .380 ACP

In the scene in the train from Brussels to Paris, Raymond carelessly plays with his pistol that results the fall and the accidental shot of the gun.

The pistol on the floor.

Raymond, getting scolded by Bonnot, puts the pistol back in his pocket.

Raymond fires at a policeman who stopped the gang's car.

Another view of the same scene.

Raymond, who has not changed his habits, is playing with the pistol again.

Raymond la Science aims his nickel plated pistol on a promotional image. In the movie itself the pistol in this scene is seen from a different angle (compare with screenshot above in this section).

FN Model 1922

In various scenes, anachronistic FN Model 1922 pistols are used by nearly all members of the gang - Jules Bonnot (Bruno Cremer), Raymond la Science (Jacques Brel), Octave Garnier (Jean-Pierre Kalfon) and Édouard Carouy (François Dyrek). Louis Jouin (Armand Mestral), the vice-chief of the Sûreté (French criminal police) who is in charge of the hunt for the gang, as well as a number of his subordinates also use FN Model 1922 pistols.

FN Model 1922 - .32 ACP

Garnier fires at a collection clerk.

A police detective holds an FN 1922 during the forensic experiment.

Another detective (at the right) holds an FN 1922 in the same scene.

Raymond fires an FN 1922 during the bank robbery in Chantilly.

Carouy dual-wields FN 1922 pistols (only one gun is seen) in the same scene.

Jouin holds his pistol (in center) during the arrest of André Soudy.

Jouin holds his pistol during the arrest of Édouard Carouy. The FN logo can be seen on the grip.

Jouin's pistol is seen at the bottom foreground.

Bonnot dual-wields FN 1922 pistols during the final shootout. The slide of one of the pistols stuck before reaching the correct position.

Garnier fires an FN 1922 at police.

Unique Model 17

In several scenes police detectives carry pistols that are supposed to be anachronistic Unique Model 17. While the general appearance resembles Ruby pistols, the rear part of the slide has less rounded, more sloping shape. Only a single such gun is seen in a time so probably a single prop is reused. Possibly same pistol is used by Octave Garnier (Jean-Pierre Kalfon) during the bank robbery in Chantilly although it is seen unclear.

Unique Model 17 - 7.65x17mm

A police detective in center holds a supposed Unique Model 17 pistol during the forensic experiment.

A similar pistol is seen in hands of Garnier during the robbery. He dual-wields it with an FN 1922 pistol.

During the arrest of Soudy, same looking pistol is held by a police detective at the left.

A same looking pistol is seen in hands of a detective at the right during the arrest of Carouy.

Another view of the same pistol.

During the final shootout, same looking pistol is seen on the floor together with an FN 1922 pistol and a lot of spent ammo.

Shotguns

Winchester Model 1897 Trench Gun

During the robbery of a gun store, Bonnot obtains a Winchester Model 1897 shotgun in Trench Gun configuration that didn't exist yet in pre-WWI years. The gun store manager describes the weapon as "a rifle for hunting elephants, a repeating 12 gauge, 5-shot with explosive bullets". The shotgun seems to have some minor differences from the real weapon, so it may be some kind of replica. What is especially strange, when the manager shows the gun to Bonnot, he loads it with rifle ammunition that looks similar (but not exactly the same) to 8x50mmR Lebel with round- or flat-nose bullets. The tips of the bullets are painted in blue which can be seen on some hunting ammunition (the cartridge in center on the photo is just such hunting design from Societe Francaise de Munitions, Paris).
In the following scenes the heat shield and the bayonet lug are partially removed from the shotgun. The weapon is used by André Soudy (Dominique Maurin) until his arrest. In real life Soudy who was known as l’homme a la carabine ("a man with carbine") used a Winchester Model 1907 that was a very modern weapon in 1911.

Winchester Model 1897 "Trench Gun" - 12 gauge. This is an original mint condition 1935 Manufacture commercial trench gun by Winchester.

The store manager (François Moro-Giafferi) takes the Winchester 1897 Trench Gun from the gun rack.

He shows the gun to Bonnot and describes it in the most flattering way.

A good view of the Winchester. The hammer is barely seen, being lowered.

The store manager puts the ammunition on the table. These are not shotgun shells but rather Lebel rifle cartridges.

He loads two rifle cartridges in the Winchester.

The store manager passes the now loaded Winchester to Bonnot. The hammer spur is in raised position.

Manager: Elephant's skin is particularly resistant, but I guarantee a big hole.
Bonnot: What would happen to your skin?

Bonnot gives the shotgun to André Soudy (Dominique Maurin).

Soudy unwraps the shotgun when the gang prepares for the attack at a collection clerk. The heat shield is now removed completly, and the bayonet lug is removed partially.

When Soudy is arrested, his shotgun is seen in hands of a police detective.

Double Barreled Shotgun

Numerous double barreled shotguns are seen in the gun store. During the final shootout, Maria la Belge (Annie Girardot) fires a Double Barreled Shotgun with exposed hammers that is then used by Jules Bonnot (Bruno Cremer) and Octave Garnier (Jean-Pierre Kalfon). Judging by the rather intricate shape of the trigger guard and the short handguard with the underlever, this is a genuine mid to late 19th century production, possibly a Lefaucheux system pinfire gun, converted to more modern ammunition (the hammers match the centerfire gun, not a pinfire).

Numerous shotguns, most of those hammerless, are seen in the gun store.

Shotguns, together with several bolt action rifles are seen on the gun rack at the background.

Shotguns both hammerless and with exposed hammers are seen in the right section of the gun rack.

During the final shootout, Maria holds a shotgun.

Bonnot readies the shotgun.

Bonnot takes aim.

The underlever can be seen.

Bonnot fires one barrel of the shotgun. The second hammer is still raised.

Garnier takes the shotgun.

Single Barreled Shotgun

Single Barreled Shotguns are also seen in the gun store.

A single barreled shotgun (1) is seen among the guns on another rack.

Semi Auto Shotgun

What appears to be some semi auto shotgun is seen in the gun store. While Browning Auto-5 already existed in 1911, the screen gun is some more modern weapon, due to the less angular shapes. Manufrance Perfex is a possible although not nessessary guess.

For reference: Manufrance Perfex, semi-auto version of Manufrance Rapid - 12 Gauge. This gun can be seen in French movies of late 1960s.

What appears to be a semi auto shotgun is seen between two double barreled shotguns to the left of the store manager. The receiver seems to have a charging handle, and the handguard also resembles the one of semi auto shotgun.

Rifles

Berthier Mle 1907/15

During the final shootout, the soldiers of Zouave unit are armed with Berthier Mle 1907-15. Gendarmes also hold Berthier rifles but none of those is seen clear enough to make a guess about a particular model.

Berthier Model 1907-15 Rifle - 8x50mm R

Gendarmes at the left hold rifles that are supposed to be some Berthier model.

A Zouave at the right aims a Berthier rifle.

A Zouave at the foreground takes aim. The straight bolt handle is seen that allows to identify the rifle as Mle 07/15 rather than an Mle 1902 or 1907 that have turned down bolt handles.

The barrels of Zouaves' rifles are seen in near darkness.

Several gendarmes aim their rifles at the foreground.

Unidentified rifles

Several bolt action rifles are seen in the gun store. These are some hunting or sporting guns of unclear model(s).

At least three bolt action rifles are seen at the left. They all have military style straight bolt handles.

A bolt action rifle (2) is seen among the guns on another rack.

Machine Guns

Hotchkiss Mle 1914

In accordance with the real course of events, the Zouaves deploy a Hotchkiss Mle 1914 machine gun against Bonnot and Garnier (the real machine gun, used during the events, was probably an Mle 1900). Nevertheless, in the firing scenes the Hotchkiss is substituted with an MG08.

Hotchkiss M1914 with tripod - 8x50mmR Lebel

Zouaves carry a Hotchkiss machine gun.

The barrel of the Hotchkiss machine gun can be seen.

Zouaves deploy the machine gun.

Maxim MG08

An MG08 replaces the Hotchkiss when the Zouaves fire at the house where Bonnot and Garnier make their last stand. The muzzle flashes of the machine gun are rather small and bluish, so possibly the MG08 is a natural gas powered mockup.

Maxim MG08 on Schlittenlafette 08 mount - 7.92x57mm Mauser

The MG08 fires. The muzzle flash would look different for the real, even blank ammo.

A close-up of the barrel.

The machine gun fires.

The non-standard carriage is probably made for movie.

Illustration Sequence

The opening and closing credits are held against the background of illustrations from the 1911-1912 issues of the French magazine Le Petit Journal. A number of guns, used by the gang members and the police, can be seen on these illustrations.

The Prefect of Police Louis Lepine personally leads the attack on Bonnot's hideout, firing a revolver. Bonnot's gun resembles a compact semi auto pistol.

Zouaves and gendarmes hold rifles. A rifle in hand of a Zouave at the far left is assumed to be a Lebel 1886.

An illustration depicts the bank robbery, comminted by the gang. Pistols at the foreground are definitly inspired by FN Model 1900 while one of the pistols at the background looks similar to an FN Model 1910. Soudy holds a rifle at the background right.

A FN 1900 is seen on the enlarged fragment of the illustration.

An FN 1900 is seen on another enlarged fragment of the illustration.

An FN 1910 and an FN 1900 are seen.

Bonnot fires an FN 1900-style pistol at police.