Quai des Orfèvres (1947)
Country: FR
Technical: bw 105m
Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Cast: Louis Jouvet, Bernard Blier, Suzy Delair, Simone Rennant
Synopsis:
An inspector solves murder at Christmas time, the key suspects being a music hall songstress and her jealous husband, and a photographer producing erotic subjects for the victim's gratification.
Review:
Effective, and typically frank from this director, 'policier' which makes you think you know more than Jouvet's marvellously laid-back sleuth right until the end. There is a detailed feel for the vaudeville setting, and an equally multi-layered rendition of the police headquarters, with nice touches in the Inspector's half-caste son and one of the first openly lesbian characters in French cinema (Rennant). On the debit side, Clouzot spends two reels setting up his characters and milieu, meaning a late entry for the true star of the show. (Jouvet agreed to play a role that would have been taken by Pierre Fresnay, with whom the director had fallen out) on condition that members of his troupe played bit parts. The film was Clouzot's first after his temporary proscription for Continental work during the Occupation.)
Country: FR
Technical: bw 105m
Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Cast: Louis Jouvet, Bernard Blier, Suzy Delair, Simone Rennant
Synopsis:
An inspector solves murder at Christmas time, the key suspects being a music hall songstress and her jealous husband, and a photographer producing erotic subjects for the victim's gratification.
Review:
Effective, and typically frank from this director, 'policier' which makes you think you know more than Jouvet's marvellously laid-back sleuth right until the end. There is a detailed feel for the vaudeville setting, and an equally multi-layered rendition of the police headquarters, with nice touches in the Inspector's half-caste son and one of the first openly lesbian characters in French cinema (Rennant). On the debit side, Clouzot spends two reels setting up his characters and milieu, meaning a late entry for the true star of the show. (Jouvet agreed to play a role that would have been taken by Pierre Fresnay, with whom the director had fallen out) on condition that members of his troupe played bit parts. The film was Clouzot's first after his temporary proscription for Continental work during the Occupation.)
Country: FR
Technical: bw 105m
Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Cast: Louis Jouvet, Bernard Blier, Suzy Delair, Simone Rennant
Synopsis:
An inspector solves murder at Christmas time, the key suspects being a music hall songstress and her jealous husband, and a photographer producing erotic subjects for the victim's gratification.
Review:
Effective, and typically frank from this director, 'policier' which makes you think you know more than Jouvet's marvellously laid-back sleuth right until the end. There is a detailed feel for the vaudeville setting, and an equally multi-layered rendition of the police headquarters, with nice touches in the Inspector's half-caste son and one of the first openly lesbian characters in French cinema (Rennant). On the debit side, Clouzot spends two reels setting up his characters and milieu, meaning a late entry for the true star of the show. (Jouvet agreed to play a role that would have been taken by Pierre Fresnay, with whom the director had fallen out) on condition that members of his troupe played bit parts. The film was Clouzot's first after his temporary proscription for Continental work during the Occupation.)