Léon / Léon The Professional (1994 Luc Besson & scr)

Besson imagines what would happen if Alain Delon from Le Samourai had to look after a teenage girl, and spawns a great couple of characters, charismatically played by Jean Reno and Natalie Portman (eleven when cast, her debut. Of working with Reno, all she says in interview is 'He was so kind').

The story emerged from a section of La Femme Nikita two years before in which Reno has a similar role. Leon was written in a month. (I was going to ask what happened to Reno since, but he's been steadily working away..)

Gary Oldman is perhaps a shade OTT as the villain but Danny Aiello is superbly oily as 'the banker' (one wonders if she will ever get her money).

Did Besson ever approach grown-up Portman to do a sequel (where she has herself become a 'cleaner')? In a later interview she claims she would do 'anything' he asked her to be in.

Feels a bit Leone. Music of course by Eric Serra, photography by Thierry Arbogast, edited by Sylvie Landra. Natalie Portman is incredible. It's emotional, and good. Though it's kind of funny the police are never summoned with all this shooting going on.