The Big Pardon Ending Explained: What Happened and Why?

What Happens at the End of The Big Pardon?

The Bettoun clan: Raymond (the patriarch), Maurice (the son), Jacky (the nephew), Roland (the nephew), Albert (Raymond's cousin), Pépé (Raymond's friend), Samy (the bodyguard) are a family clan of Jewish Blackfoot kingpins of French organized crime. Their activities include running casinos, organizing underground boxing matches, illegal gambling, pimping, racketeering and bloody settlements of scores against other Arab and French clans. But in the shadows, Pascal Villars has sworn the loss of the Bettoun. He will succeed in setting the Arab clan against the Jewish clan, for the great benefit of the police commissioner Duché, who has been trying in vain for ten years to bring down the Bettouns.

Alexandre Arcady's narrative builds toward a resolution centered on Roger Hanin (Raymond Beitoun)'s journey. Their activities include running casinos, organizing underground boxing matches, illegal gambling, pimping, racketeering and bloody settlements of scores against other Arab and French clans.

As part of the The Big Pardon Collection, the ending carries additional weight for fans following the franchise.

How Does Roger Hanin (Raymond Beitoun)'s Story End?

• Roger Hanin: Roger Hanin's storyline wraps up in the final act, though some viewers have found the resolution more ambiguous than expected.
• Jean-Louis Trintignant (Le commissaire Duché): Jean-Louis Trintignant's role in the climax proves pivotal to how the central conflict resolves.
• Bernard Giraudeau (Pascal Villars): Bernard Giraudeau's character undergoes a significant shift in the final act.

What Does the Ending of The Big Pardon Mean?

The Big Pardon's ending attempts to resolve the major plot threads, though some narrative elements involving Roger Hanin may feel rushed. Alexandre Arcady's final act has been both praised for its ambition and criticized for its execution.