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L'Héritier
1973 Crime / Thriller
Review
With this stylish thriller, Philippe Labro takes some carefully judged swipes at his own
profession, that of journalism, whilst referencing some major topical concerns –
including corruption in politics and industry. This is Labro’s third film
and although it feels heavily overloaded with content, it is well crafted and a compelling
example of the polar (mystery-thriller) genre. Some unusual camera framing and sharp
editing brings a frisson of originality into what was, even by the early 1970s, a pretty
formulaic and heavily over-used genre.
The film’s charismatic hero is played by Jean-Paul Belmondo, who was – alongside Alain Delon – the most popular film actor in France at the time. Alas, there are none of the trademark Belmondo stunts in this film – which is actually to the film’s advantage. Belmondo’s performance is credible, but his characterisation shows little variation from film to film – not that the cinema-going public of the day minded. The plethora of other talented actors – including Jean Desailly, Jean Rochefort and Charles Denner – add to the film’s quality feel but are large wasted as it is Belmondo who, as ever, draws the focus throughout. Although the film was not a staggering success (of the kind that many of Belmondo’s films were in this decade), it did attract a respectable audience in France of over two million spectators. The film’s controversial subject matter, and its equally controversial ending, may have lessened its appeal. The “neo-polar” (conspiracy thriller) element of L’Héritier was not greatly appreciated at the time but would have a strong presence on French cinema by the end of the 1970s as a series of headline-grabbing scandals rocked the political establishment across Europe. Like a good journalist, Philippe Labro was well ahead of the game. © James Travers 2004 Write a review for this film...User Comments
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Director:
Philippe Labro
Starring: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Carla Gravina, Jean Rochefort, Charles Denner, Jean Desailly Synopsis
When his father, a wealthy industrialist, is killed in aeroplane crash, Bart Cordell returns
to France to take up the reins of the empire he has inherited. When a prostitute
attempts to frame him for drug smuggling, he begins to suspect is father may have been
murdered. Bart’s investigation uncovers a complex web of political intrigue,
in which his own family and his stepfather are heavily implicated…
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