"To become immortal... and then die." That's the stated ambition of Monsieur Parvulesco, the celebrated writer played by Jean-Pierre Melville in À bout de souffle. Sadly the quote is all too applicable to the career of Melville, a former Resistance fighter who quickly rose to prominence in post-war cinema, becoming an idol to hundreds of young filmmakers at a time when traditional French films were giving way to new and radical works like Godard's groundbreaking debut. With his early pictures - Silence de la mer, Les Enfants terrible and especially breakout success Bob Le Flambeur - Melville effectively bridged the gap between art cinema and genre, fiction and philosophy, minimalism and suspense. Without his Hollywood-influenced approach to gangster films, many figureheads of the Nouvelle Vague would have been directionless.

But just as the bold cinematic movement he'd birthed began to flourish, Melville was pushed aside by his acolytes as they moved into different directions. As a trendsetter, he was effectively dead. The second half of his career, during which he'd produce masterpieces such as Le Doulos, Le Deuxième Souffle and Le Cercle Rouge, was often dismissed as too American, too primitive, too outmoded. His great artistic vision Army of Shadows, which his entire life had led up to creating, didn't even see international distribution for almost 40 years. Following a fire that destroyed his studio, he made only a couple more movies before actually dying at age 55.

And yet in death he found his immortality. "Mourir... ou mentir? To lie or to die?" is the cryptic, cribbed Celine quote from the opening of Le Doulos, and the existential burden that plagues most of Melville's characters and predetermines their fatal trajectory. For many of them, death is a small price to pay if it means maintaining their highly-valued ethics in a treacherous clime. Melville could make even the rottenest criminal seem noble as long as he valued honor and independence above all else, because that's exactly how the director himself lived and worked. The influence of his films (most notably Le Samouraï) will continue well past today, October 20th 2017 - what would have been his 100th birthday. Here are 100 moments that demonstrate why.

For more on Jean-Pierre Melville, check out our recent appearance on the Wrong Reel podcast hosted by James Hancock, in which we discuss the man's complete filmography.

Reggiani disappears and reappears under the tunnel in the opening credits of Le Doulos.

On a grey rainy day in a seaside town cleared out for the off-season, a carefully orchestrated heist and as perfect an opening 20 minutes as there ever was to a film. Un Flic.

Gorgeous split-screen photography of a failed prizefighter's last bout. Magnet of Doom.

A gaggle of lazy smokers wearing silly hats with long feathers sticking out of them: when the Italians occupy the village, the dangers of wartime hardly seem real. Léon Morin, Priest.

Dragging heavy sheets across the empty gallery: the mysticism of Cocteau, as interpreted by Melville. Les Enfants Terribles.

Nicolas Hayer's gorgeous documentary-tinged photography of the city at night. Two Men in Manhattan.

The shadows of Henri Decaë's black & white photography transitioned to color in the alluring clubs and lonely alcoves of Le Samouraï.

The soundless wreck on the road between Cannes and Nice. Les Enfants Terribles.

The blaring alarm that pierces the long silence following the muted heist. Le Cercle Rouge.

The bank alarm goes off, but everybody stays cool. Un Flic.

The rattling of dishes from the kitchen during the very loud silence from Deneuve as she hesistates to respond to Crenna on the phone. Un Flic.

Now that she's decided she wants Morin, his words become gobbledygook. Léon Morin, Priest.

A knock on the door demands an alteration in the relationship. Le Silence de la mer.

Cleaned out by a losing streak, Bob exits the back-room gambling den and we discover that the jazz marimba on the soundtrack is not the score, but being played live by a musician out on the floor of the club. Bob Le Flambeur.

The trumpet player leaves the stage, has a drink, then puts his instrument back to his lips and continues to play from the bar. Two Men in Manhattan.

Éric Demarsan's score swells as Cassel's expression turns somber, standing under the Fourviere Basilica a short distance apart but far away from Signoret and Ventura enjoying a picnic in the background. Army of Shadows.

During an idyllic afternoon picnic in a country glade, Werner von Ebrennac reconsiders his romance with the Aryan goddess when she begins gleefully tearing the legs off of a bug, one by one. Le Silence de la mer.

When Michel is off having an afternoon tryst with a pretty young hitchhiker, Ferchaux tosses the money off of a cliff to regain control of the relationship. After the cash is painstakingly recovered, the hitchhiker tries to double-cross them. Oh well, she's the trucker's problem now. Magnet of Doom.

The beautiful boss leans over Barny's shoulder, gently brushing her breasts against her subordinate. Léon Morin, Priest.

Delmas snaps a picture of the delegate's girlfriend as she resists from her hospital bed, still weak from a failed suicide attempt. Two Men in Manhattan.

Corey doesn't see his old flame when he comes to collect his money from Rico's apartment, but he knows she's there. Le Cercle Rouge.

Delon matches expressions with the pale, petrified dead girl. Un Flic.

Elisabeth learns the modeling game: "Walk away with haughty disdain." Les Enfants Terribles.

Simone Signoret trying on disguises. Army of Shadows.

Roadside neon. Magnet of Doom.

Electronic lights on a map mark the police following Jef on the metro. Le Samouraï.

They pass each other awkwardly on a snowy country road, stopping then starting again and passing each other without a word. Le Silence de La Mer.

Melville himself, in a bow-tie and fedora, starring in his own movie, strap-hanging on the actual, no-shit New York subway. Two Men in Manhattan.

Buy some fries at 5:00a.m., toss the trash in the street and ride off with a random sailor on the back of his motorcycle. Our young heroine is living life the right way. Bob Le Flambeur.

Ringing in the new year with some wine, bread and pate, alone with an alarm clock and no new calendar. Le Deuxième Souffle.

In the plane over nocturnal France, feet hanging over oblivion, preparing to leap into the void. Army of Shadows.

The Paratrooper's Prayer, aka "The prayer that doesn't exist." Léon Morin, Priest.

They drive Gu to the cliff where his jailbreak partner jumped: "We thought you might like to die here. I know you're the sentimental type." Le Deuxième Souffle.

Delon tickles the ivories while an elegantly made-up Deneuve stands there quietly smoldering. Un Flic.

Vogel's daredevil escape from the train. Le Cercle Rouge.

The look on Gu Minda's face indicates even he doesn't think he's going to make it onto the train and get out of this daring escape alive. Le Deuxième Souffle.

A dark corridor. Men behind a machine gun. A smoke grenade and a rope. Army of Shadows.

The sound of the arsenal being bombed fills Barny with joy. Léon Morin, Priest.

Blot barely reacts to the bullets thundering near his head. Le Deuxième Souffle.

A rape - and the unsuccessful suicide in its wake. When You Read This Letter.

The tiny phone booth Marc has to fit into to blow the lid off the upcoming heist, which becomes his tiny tomb. Bang! Bang! Bang! Bob Le Flambeur.

Jef Costello was not expecting the apartment to be this big. He kicked in the doors, but which hallway is which? Le Samouraï.

Corey skillfully takes out two goons like they're a pair of billiard balls on the carambole table. Le Cercle Rouge.

Slick Jean-Francois scoops up a toddler and walks right through the barricade at the train station. Army of Shadows.

Rapid fire target shooting. Un Flic.

Expert marksman Jansen impulsively snatches the rifle off the tripod and makes the tricky shot himself. Le Cercle Rouge.

Orloff stakes out the meeting place, conceals the gun -

- Antoine comes in afterward, figures out were it's hidden. "Space and orientation become the leading characters in the film." - Werner Herzog. Le Deuxième Souffle.

Miscommunication with a German soldier over a warning sign, a tense confrontation that dissolves with a shrug and a kiss blown goodbye. Léon Morin, Priest.

Melville shows how the heist (which ultimately never happens) should go down. Bob Le Flambeur.

Staring at ants on a dirt mound while waiting for the armored truck. Le Deuxième Souffle.

"Imagine a snail with its skull torn off, still alive, covered in sores, crawling across the filthy stones." Léon Morin, Priest.

Crabs, lizards and serpents invade Jansen's flat. Say what you will about this scene, Montand makes it tense as hell. Le Cercle Rouge.

What would improve any scene of intense heist planning? Dog reaction shots. Dog Le Flambeur.

The dog says his goodnight prayers: in the circus, clowns and beasts share the same god. 24 heures de la vie d'un clown.

Mattei feeds his cats. Le Cercle Rouge.

The bird lets him know the place has been bugged. Le Samouraï.

A selection of insanely boring books written by a beloved resistance leader as the only company while being holed up in a hideout for weeks on end. Army of Shadows.

The vase that never falls down during the late night break-in. Le Doulos.

The black table that fills the screen when he tries to hock the pendant. Magnet of Doom.

A cozy contraption for having a warm lunch during wartime. Army of Shadows.

Jef Costello's methodical laying out of keys when he boosts an auto for his mission. Le Samouraï.

Passing out cigarettes in the holding cell. When the pack comes around, there are none left for Gerbier. Army of Shadows.

He knew for years that the coin was double-headed. Bob Le Flambeur.

A raincoat - almost new - does Jean in. Le Doulos.

The niece turns her gaze to the enamored Werner von Ebrennac for the first time. "Oh what a light!" Le Silence de la mer.

The look on Paolo's face when he's told that Anne blabbed about the heist - is he more upset that the job is off or that his best girl confided in another man? Bob Le Flambeur.

Felled by a snowball straight to the heart. Les Enfants Terribles.

The lesbian secretary dries her lover's back as she sends Moreau back off into the night, stating her lack of concern for the the never-ending problems of men and women. Two Men in Manhattan.

Jane likes being Jef's alibi: "Because you need me." Le Samouraï.

Delon and Deneuve in the ceiling mirror: they even have chemistry upside down! Un Flic.

Speaking of chemistry: Jansen making special bullets with lead, antimony and tin. Le Cercle Rouge.

Lemme just grab this knife out of your hand there before I break your heart. Léon Morin, Priest.

Give Barny back her bag, you G.I. creep! Léon Morin, Priest.

Extortion at gunpoint opens the scuzzy victim's heart. When You Read This Letter.

The Frenchman starts to speak, but von Ebrennac stops him. The sea remains silent. Le Silence de la mer.

An unexpected slap turns antagonistic collaborator into doe-eyed ally. Léon Morin, Priest.

Similarly, getting decked after refusing to play Sinatra on the jukebox makes an American marine smitten with an irresistibly cool Belmondo. "I am a wop, and I like Frankie-boy!" Magnet of Doom.

Another kind of slap: the sleeve of Morin's robe graces Barny's cheek "deliberately...brushing me with his surplice." Léon Morin, Priest.

Commissaire Coleman speaks another language to the Italian pickpockets: SLAP! Suddenly they remember they can speak a little French. Un Flic.

Paul Meurisse as the finest of all of Melville's dogged cops. Le Deuxième Souffle.

Blue eyes and green eyes: Coleman and Costa size each other up at the police station. Un Flic.

"You!" Mattei is befuddled to discover Jansen was the third man in the gang. Le Cercle Rouge.

Bob the high-roller, "just as nature made him," cleans up at the Deauville tables. Bob Le Flambeur.

Never toss a potential enemy a loaded gun. Naturally, Belmondo knows that and stays one step ahead. Le Doulos.

Manouche and Alban never expect to be saved from "a couple of not-even third rate thugs," but that's Gu Minda. Le Deuxième Souffle.

Serge Reggiani in sneakers. Le Doulos.

An impromptu shave care of Serge Reggiani. Army of Shadows.

By the time they start the car, Bob's sentence has been commuted from five years to acquittal and suing for damages. Bob Le Flambeur.

"You can judge a civilization by the quality of its prostitution." J.P. catches the spirit of old Times Square under the flashing lights of its gaudy marquees. Two Men in Manhattan.

A cop, a crook and a chanteuse; a love triangle explicated in an exchange of tense glances in a smoky jazz club. Un Flic.

Both Frenchman and German officer are frozen when they catch each other in the mirrors. Le Silence de la mer.

Delon gives Crenna an unspoken warning to get the hell out of town as glittery nightclub dancers spin and kick behind them. Un Flic.

"Out there on the road, with the two cops..." "I know. It was just me and you." Le Deuxième Souffle.

A tearful farewell with Lino Ventura. Le Deuxième Souffle.

A tearful farewell with Lino Ventura. Army of Shadows.

The mission to save Felix is a failure, and the emotions have to wait until they've cleared the compound. Then they come flooding out. Army of Shadows.

Bob admonishes the crook for posing heroically. Bob Le Flambeur.

"Do you win?" "Never." Bob Le Flambeur.

"You're only prosecuted if you reoffend." "We all do." Un Flic.

"The only feelings mankind ever inspired in police are those of indifference or derision." Un Flic.

"Will you continue your depravity?" "Yes." Confession and conversion don't go according to anyone's plan. Léon Morin, Priest.

"I think of you as an embryo." and "You never struck me as being a complete idiot." Léon Morin, Priest.

"That's the rarest thing in the world, a man able to be quiet." Muses the incredibly yappy Michel. Magnet of Doom.

"They wouldn't buy your pendant. That's the reason I didn't sell it." A truly pathetic drunken confession to the wrong woman, anyway. Magnet of Doom.

"Thanks to you, I locked the beasts away." Le Cercle Rouge.

Gerbier leaves his hat behind in London. Army of Shadows.

Following Silien's hat at the hat check desk. Ticket #13 - unlucky for some! Le Doulos.

Jef leaves the hat check ticket on the counter - he won't be needing it. Le Samouraï.

Taking a swig of a dead man's whiskey - he won't need it. Two Men in Manhattan.

The death of a young, terrified traitor, as sick and tragic as those of the heroes. Army of Shadows.

Delon descending. Le Cercle Rouge.

The walls of the Forbidden City come crashing down at the sound of a gunshot. Les Enfants Terribles.

"I knew that you'd come back..." Ferchaux dies in the arms of a notably unmoved Michel. Magnet of Doom.

Each person in the car leans forward to see Mathilde's face. Army of Shadows.

No bullets. Jef sealed his own fate. Le Samouraï.

No gun. Crenna gets the final move. Un Flic.

"Did he say anything?" "Not a word." Le Deuxième Souffle.

"Fabienne, I won't be coming tonight." Le Doulos.