Une manche et la belle (1957)
Directed by Henri Verneuil

Film Review

James Hadley Chase's thriller novels have long provided a rich source of material for French cinema, the best adaptations including Julien Duvivier's Chair de poule (1963) and Patrice Chéreau's La Chair de l'orchidée (1975).  Une manche et la belle, based on Chase's 1954 novel The Sucker Punch, makes an effective film noir, even if it is somewhat hampered by an implausible plot and a discernible lack of conviction in the central performances.  This was one of Henri Verneuil's first excursions into thriller territory, and whilst it pales in comparison with some of his subsequent offerings in the genre - Le Clan des Siciliens (1969), Peur sur la ville (1975), I...comme Icare (1979) - it is passably entertaining.  Perhaps because of the obvious plot similarities with Sunset Boulevard (1950), Verneuil appears to take his inspiration from American film noir - the film certainly has a different mood and texture compared with most French noir thrillers of this time.

It's easy to imagine Alain Delon, Françoise Arnoul and Danielle Darrieux in the three lead roles.  Had Verneuil been fortunate enough to engage these three actors (or others of their standing) he might well have had a sure-fire classic on his hands.  Instead, he was left hiring the B-team, consisting of Henri Vidal, Mylène Demongeot and Isa Miranda, whose combined talent and charisma wouldn't reach much further than Delon's left knee.  The casting is weak but it is by no means disastrous, as Demongeot is particularly striking as the irresistible, and monstrously devious, femme fatale.  Resentful of the fact that he was rarely cast in better films, Vidal had little enthusiasm for derivative crowdpleaser fare such as this, and it shows throughout his performance.

In spite of his devastating good looks, Vidal makes the blandest of noir heroes, and at no point do we feel any sympathy for him as he falls hook, line and sinker for the trap that has carefully been laid for him.  Miranda looks even less enthused by the proceedings - there's little to humanise her portrayal, so she ends up a prickly harridan who deserves what is coming to her.  Une manche et la belle has enough in the way of suspense and plot twists to hold the spectator's attention, but the two-dimensional characters and almost total absence of genuine human feeling make it a pretty shallow movie experience.  Christian Matras's gorgeously atmospheric cinematography is the one thing that redeems the film, lending at least the illusion of depth to an otherwise routine thriller.

Film Synopsis

Philippe Delaroche is a modest bank employee whose attempt to swindle some easy money out of a rich widow, Betty Farnwell, ends with an unexpected proposal of marriage.  Even though he has succumbed to the more obvious allure of Betty's young secretary, Éva, Philippe agrees to marry the widow and is soon enjoying the high life at his wife's expense.  The marriage immediately turns sour after the honeymoon but Betty refuses to give Philippe the satisfaction of an easy divorce.  Philippe's only way out is to murder his wife.  With Éva's help, he puts into action what he believes will be the perfect crime, but one fatal mistake results in his part in Betty's death becoming apparent to the police.  Worse, in her will, Betty has left the bulk of her estate not to Philippe, but to her estranged son.  Can it be a coincidence that the latter is the man who has been courting Éva behind Philippe's back...?