Défense de savoir (1973)
Directed by Nadine Trintignant

Film Review

In this early example of the neo-polar or political thriller that would become highly popular in France in the late 1970s, Jean-Louis Trintignant is directed by his then wife Nadine, heading an impressive cast that includes such distinguished performers as Michel Bouquet, Charles Denner and Bernadette Lafont. Jean-Luc Godard muse Juliet Berto (La Chinoise, Week End) periodically steals the focus with her captivating presence and Claude Piéplu brings a touch of Pinteresque menace to the proceedings. The biggest scene stealer of the lot turns out to be the Trintignants' ten-year old daughter Marie, who made her screen debut in Nadine Trintignants's Mon amour, mon amour six years previously and would have a distinguished screen career that ended tragically with her untimely death in 2003. Défense de savoir is a respectable example of its genre that cheekily uses the old film noir device of the flashback to make the simple narrative seem far more sophisticated than it actually is. The performances are enjoyable although there are a few scenes where it looks as if the actors are working hard to prevent the film from slipping into farce. It is to be regretted that the film takes itself so seriously - there is room for humour and with a little tweaking this could have made a sublime black comedy, but the Trintignants prefers to play it straight, with the result that the film is a good deal blander than it needs to be.

Film Synopsis

A lawyer, Jean-Pierre Laubray, is appointed to defend Simone Hild, who has been arrested for the murder of her boyfriend, Jean Ravier.  Laubray's investigations reveal that Ravier was a police informer as well as a strong-arm man in the electoral campaign of a politician named Cristani.  Through Cristani's daughter, Juliette, Laubray learns there may be a connection with the tragic death of Cristani's son, which happened on the same day as Ravier's killing.  Laubray begins to suspect an ingenious cover up instigated some very senior and powerful people…