Le Bon Dieu sans confession (1953)
Directed by Claude Autant-Lara

Film Review

Not one of Claude Autant-Lara's better known films, Le Bon Dieu sans confession is nonetheless an accomplished piece of film drama that once again allows its director to trade on his deep-seated distaste for the French bourgeoisie.  Adapted from Paul Vialar's popular novel Monsieur Dupont est mort, the film employs an interesting flashback structure (possibly inspired by Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon) in which the narrative - centring on a businessman (Henri Vilbert) who is ruthlessly exploited by his mistress (Danielle Darrieux) - is pieced together from fragments taken from the point of view of several characters.  The film's one flaw is that too much emphasis is given to Darrieux's character, at the expense of the other characters, who, in Vialar's novel, provide a more balanced portrait of the main protagonist.

It is easy to see why Autant-Lara favoured Darrieux, this being the phase in her career when she was at her most powerful as a dramatic actress.  Here Darrieux has a part worthy of her talents, hers being an ambiguous character whose nobler qualities (unceasing devotion to an unworthy husband) are undermined by the despicable manner in which she milks her willing sugar daddy.  No one plays cold-hearted duplicity better than Darrieux and it sickens the soul to see the mask of contempt on her face whenever she turns away from Dupont as he showers her with gifts and protestations of love.  Henri Vilbert is equally superb as the easily led Dupont, an essentially decent man who is brought down and ultimately destroyed by the kind of character flaws which inhabit us all.  Vilbert  brings a humanity to his portrayal, against which Darrieux appear even more monstrous and calculating.  It is worth noting Claude Laydu's presence in the cast - this was one of the few films he appeared in after his memorable portrayal of the country priest in Robert Bresson's Journal d'un curé de campagne (1951).

Film Synopsis

As they follow a funeral procession several mourners replay their memories of the dead man, Monsieur Dupont, whose outward respectability hid a multitude of flaws.  Before the Second World War, Dupont pursued a passionate love affair with a married woman, Janine, not knowing that she was devotedly attached to her husband and was merely exploiting Dupont's generosity for her own advantage.  During the war, it was Janine who denounced Dupont to the authorities, although he was certain that it was his business associate Varesco who betrayed him.  Having poisoned Dupont's relationship with Varesco, Janine continued to exploit her amorous benefactor after the war, wrecking not only Dupont's family but also her own personal happiness...