125 rue Montmartre (1959)
Directed by Gilles Grangier

Crime / Drama / Thriller

Film Review

Abstract picture representing 125 rue Montmartre (1959)
Lino Ventura, for many years the archetypal tough guy in French cinema, turns in another sterling performance in this carefully constructed mystery thriller based on a novel by André Gillois (the brother of the renowned filmmaker and producer Henri Diamant-Berger). In both its plotting and its design, 125 rue Montmartre looks as if it was strongly influenced by American film noir and Alfred Hitchcock's suspense thrillers. Indeed, the subject of a man wrongly charged with a crime he did not commit is distinctly Hitchcockian.

This is the kind of film that director Gilles Grangier was most adept at, although he had more success (and was better known for) his light comedies, including Le Gentleman d'Epsom (1962) and La Cuisine au beurre (1963). Versatile director though he was, Grangier was in his element with his noirish thrillers - as his earlier films Au p'tit zouave (1949) and Gas-Oil (1955) amply demonstrate. 125 rue Montmartre isn't just written and photographed with flair, it also has a distinguished cast which includes - in addition to the great Ventura - exemplary performers such as Andréa Parisy, Alfred Adam, Jean Desailly and the ever-glamorous Dora Doll.
© James Travers 2002
The above content is owned by frenchfilms.org and must not be copied.
Next Gilles Grangier film:
Archimède, le clochard (1959)

Film Synopsis

Pascal makes a modest living selling newspapers on the streets of Paris. He may have a surly temperament but he is a good natured soul at heart, always ready to help a fellow creature if he can.  Naturally, when he sees a man jump into the River Seine, he does not hesitate to come to his rescue.  The visibly distressed man, Didier, reveals he was driven to this desperate act by his family, in particular his wife Catherine who is determined to rob him of his fortune.  Moved by this tale of woe, Pascal offers to help Didier in any way he can.  Didier suggests that they go back to his house to pick up some money.  As he enters the house, Pascal unwittingly falls into a carefully laid trap.  Alerted by Catherine, the police suddenly turn up and find the body of a dead man in the house.  The victim is identified as Catherine's husband, but to Pascal's surprise it is not Didier!  Catherine insists that Pascal murdered her husband, and all the evidence seems to be against him.  The only person who thinks otherwise is the police inspector leading the criminal investigation...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by frenchfilms.org and must not be copied.


Film Credits

  • Director: Gilles Grangier
  • Script: Gilles Grangier, Jacques Robert, André Gillois (novel), Michel Audiard (dialogue)
  • Cinematographer: Jacques Lemare
  • Music: Jean Yatove
  • Cast: Lino Ventura (Pascal), Andréa Parisy (Catherine Barrachet), Robert Hirsch (Didier Barrachet), Dora Doll (Germaine Montillier), Lucien Raimbourg (Victor), Pierre Mirat (Le brigadier), Alfred Adam (Phillipe Barrachet), Jean Desailly (Commissaire Dodelot), Henri Crémieux (Le juge d'instruction), Christian Lude (Le turfiste), Paul Mercey (Raymond), Jacques Monod (Le médecin), Valérie Vivin (Paulette), Jean Juillard, Pierre Collet, Émile Genevois, Guy Henry, Charles Lemontier
  • Country: France
  • Language: French
  • Support: Black and White
  • Runtime: 85 min

The Carry On films, from the heyday of British film comedy
sb-img-17
Looking for a deeper insight into the most popular series of British film comedies? Visit our page and we'll give you one.
Kafka's tortuous trial of love
sb-img-0
Franz Kafka's letters to his fiancée Felice Bauer not only reveal a soul in torment; they also give us a harrowing self-portrait of a man appalled by his own existence.
The best of British film comedies
sb-img-15
British cinema excels in comedy, from the genius of Will Hay to the camp lunacy of the Carry Ons.
The best French Films of the 1910s
sb-img-2
In the 1910s, French cinema led the way with a new industry which actively encouraged innovation. From the serials of Louis Feuillade to the first auteur pieces of Abel Gance, this decade is rich in cinematic marvels.
The best of Indian cinema
sb-img-22
Forget Bollywood, the best of India's cinema is to be found elsewhere, most notably in the extraordinary work of Satyajit Ray.
 

Other things to look at


Copyright © frenchfilms.org 1998-2024
All rights reserved



All content on this page is protected by copyright