From Wikipedia:
Chi Mai” (Italian: whoever) is a composition by Ennio Morriconewritten in 1971. It was first used in the film Maddalena (1971), later in the films Le Professionnel directed by Georges Lautner (1981),[1] as well as in the television series An Englishman’s Castle (1978). In 1981, it was used as the theme music for the BBC series The Life and Times of David Lloyd George[2] and the BBC release of the theme reached number 2 on the UK Singles Chart.[3]
The Film:
From Wikipedia:
“The Professional (original title: Le Professionnel; French pronunciation: [lə pʁɔfɛsjɔˈnɛl]) is a 1981 French action thriller film directed by Georges Lautner. The film stars Jean-Paul Belmondo as the title role. The film is based on the award-winning 1976 novel Death of a Thin-Skinned Animalby Patrick Alexander.
The film was a commercial success upon its theatrical release and was the fourth most watched feature film in France in 1981 behind La Chèvre, Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Fox and the Hound, selling 5,243,559 tickets.[7]
The music was composed by Ennio Morricone, and the main theme “Chi Mai” became an instrumental hit and subsequent classic.
Jean-Paul Belmondo initially planned to work on Barracuda, directed by Yves Boisset, a film partly inspired by the Françoise Claustre hostage affair in Chadfrom 1974 to 1977. However, differences arose due to what Boisset described as “incompatible conditions regarding the project”. Boisset wanted to include references to the Claustre affair, while Belmondo preferred it to be an adventure film.[8] Alexandre Mnouchkine, Belmondo’s producer, was not interested in Barracuda and suggested adapting Death of a Thin-Skinned Animal by British author Patrick Alexander, published in 1978 in the Série noire collection.[9][8]
When Boisset declined, Belmondo, impressed by the book, decided to proceed with the film adaptation. Georges Lautner, available at the time, was chosen as the director, marking his third collaboration with Belmondo after Flic ou voyou(1978) and Le Guignolo (1979).[8]Michel Audiard was tasked with adapting the novel and writing the screenplay. The story, originally set in England, was relocated to France to suit the production. However, the first draft, which retained some of the novel’s dialogues, did not impress Lautner, Belmondo, or Mnouchkine.[8][9]Audiard was reportedly more focused on writing Garde à vue, leading to the involvement of Francis Veber as a script doctor to refine the screenplay.[10][11]Audiard’s lack of interest led to his son, Jacques Audiard, being credited for the screenplay.[9]
The film’s title change was influenced by Belmondo and his publicist René Chateau, despite initial resistance from Mnouchkine, Lautner, and Audiard.[9]
The story and political context of Le Professionnel were inspired by France’s complex diplomatic relations with its former African colonies during the Françafriqueera under Jacques Foccart.[9]
Filming
With a budget of 20 million francs, Le Professionnel was filmed from 5 May to 13 July 1981.[12] The African prison scenes were shot in the Camargue, with Montpellieruniversity students hired as extras.[8] Georges Lautner noted logistical challenges, including the need to shoot the opening scene with a telephoto lens due to issues with the set.
Subsequent scenes were filmed in Paris, including the car chase between Beaumont and Rosen, choreographed by Rémy Julienneand shot near the Trocadéro.[8]Paul Belmondo, Jean-Paul’s father, helped secure filming permissions. Interior scenes were shot at the Studios d’Épinay.[8]
The climactic scenes were filmed at the Château de Maintenon and the Résidence Salmson Le Point du Jour in Boulogne-Billancourt, accompanied by Ennio Morricone’s score. The final sequence, which deviated from the producers’ original vision, was retained due to Belmondo and Lautner’s insistence.
Cast
The cast of Le Professionnel includes Robert Hossein as Commissioner Rosen and Cyrielle Clair. Belmondo suggested Hossein to ensure a formidable on-screen rivalry.[8] Other cast members include Jean Desailly, Élisabeth Margoni, Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, and Belmondo’s longtime collaborators Michel Beaune and Pierre Vernier.
Popularity in Eastern Europe:
Because of the film’s subject matter and the improving relations between France and the Communist Bloc at the time, the film had received a limited release in the Soviet Union and several other Soviet-aligned states like Poland, and received immense popularity, having become a household name there.”
