La Mort de Belle
1961 Crime / Drama   

 

Review
Transfer of guilt, that ingenious device beloved on crime thriller writers and Alfred Hitchcock, forms the basis for this masterfully composed psychological drama.  Although Edouard Molinaro is perhaps best known for his box office hits such as Hibernatus (1969) and  La Cage aux folles (1978), he also directed a number of respectable serious films, of which La Mort de Belle is among his best, a respectable adaptation of a Georges Simenon novel.

© James Travers 2003


Write a review for this film...

User Comments
How do you rate this film?
  Director: Edouard Molinaro
Starring: Jean Desailly, Alexandra Stewart, Monique Mélinand, Yvette Etiévant

Synopsis
Stéphane Blanchon is a respectable teacher of French who lives in Switzerland with his wife.  The couple accommodate an American student, Belle, who is completing her studies.  When Belle is murdered, suspicion falls immediately on Blanchon.  As the police investigation probes into his past, the teacher becomes aware of his attraction towards Belle.  Perhaps he did killer her after all...

Credits
  • Director: Edouard Molinaro
  • Script: Jean Anouilh, based on a novel by Georges Simenon
  • Photo: Jean-Louis Picavet
  • Music: Georges Delerue
  • Cast: Jean Desailly (Stéphane Blanchon), Alexandra Stewart (Belle), Monique Mélinand (Mme. Monique Blanchon), Yvette Etiévant (Alice, la secrétaire du juge), Jacques Monod (Le juge d’instruction Bechman), Marc Cassot (Le commissaire), Jacques Pierre (Philippe Berthe), Yves Robert (Le barman), Louisa Colpeyn (La mère de Belle), Van Doude (Le docteur), Maurice Teynac (L’ivrogne), Pierre Vaneck (Gardien de la morgue)
  • Country: France
  • Language: French
  • Runtime: 91 min; B&W
  • Aka: The End of Belle; The Passion of Slow Fire



More French Drama

   


For the latest film releases on DVD...




Hotels          Cheap flights          Holidays          Property abroad          Investments          Jobs


© filmsdefrance.com 2009