André Cayatte

Synopsis
Once again, Boussard is expected to win the coming mayoral elections with a handsome majority. One man who isn’t pleased by this prospect is Dr Peyrac, who is so disgusted by Boussard and his shady activities that he decides to run against him. For once, Boussard is anxious and sees the impeccable Dr Peyrac as a serious challenger, so he asks his secretary, Morlaix, to come to his aid. The latter discovers that Peyrac’s wife, Sylvie, is on friendly terms with Olga Leroy, a woman who is reputed to organise wild orgies for the well off. This is just the information Boussard needs to destroy his rival…Read More »

Synopsis:
A film crew is shooting an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in Venice. Bettina Verdi, the leading actress, visits a glass factory in Murano with her guide Raffaele. One of the glassblowers, Angelo, is mesmerized by Bettina, so much so that he joins the cast as Romeo’s double just so that he can see her again. On the film set, Angelo meets Georgia, who is Juliet’s double. Georgia lives in a Venetian palace with her father Ettore and brother Amedeo. Both are hiding from justice after the fall of Fascism. Raffaele is in love with Georgia and does what he can to help her family. But when he realises that Georgia loves Angelo, Raffaele is outraged and decides to have his revenge. He will choose his moment carefully…Read More »

Synopsis:
‘His criminal activities exposed, a crooked financier named Géraudy takes flight and intends to make his escape across the alpine border with the help of a young smuggler, Manu. When his wife Florence declines to join him, Géraudy hangs himself, thus depriving her of his life insurance. Florence persuades Inspecteur Nansen that Géraudy’s death was murder not suicide, and Manu is soon arrested as the obvious suspect. Manu’s only hope is a suicide note written by Géraudy just before he killed himself, but this he has entrusted to his girlfriend. The latter cannot forgive Manu when she sees him with Florence and so it appears that an innocent young man will be condemned for Géraudy’s supposed murder…’
– James TraversRead More »

PLOT: In the French legal system, a judge-magistrate conducts criminal investigations. In this story, Suzanne Corbier (Annie Girardot) is one such magistrate who is called upon to determine whether Catherine, who has been having an affair with an Englishman, conspired with him to murder her impotent husband, who condoned the affair. When Suzanne comes to a conclusion, she still must deal with the political demands of her office and her superiors.Read More »

Synopsis
The first film made up of sketches made by different directors. All deal with the return of prisoners in their native France after WW2.Read More »

Paris, 1939. War is about to be declared any day. Roger works in a bakery and Jean is a reporter for the magazine L’Espoir. The two men have nothing is common other than the war which is soon to engulf their lives. Although Jean is engaged to be married, he is determined to fight for freedom and does not hesitate to enlist in the army. The less idealistic Roger is soon called up to defend his country. The two men are taken prisoner during hostilities and meet whilst crossing the River Rhine. They quickly become friends. By pretending to be farmers, they are sent to a German village to work for a family. Roger accepts his situation because he is attracted towards Helga, the daughter of the house. But Jean has no other idea than to escapeRead More »

Synopsis:
‘Recently appointed a magistrate, Jacques Arnaud arrives in Lancourt, a small provincial town which is under the control of Boussard, an scrupulous businessman. Arnaud’s first client is Dutoit, who rears German sheep dogs for a living. Dutoit reports that someone has been poisoning his dogs. Could it be the same person who has recently broken into his house to steal a black file drawn up by his friend Le Guen just before he died, a file that implicates Boussard in fraudulent speculation? Suspicious, Arnaud begins by exhuming le Guen’s body; the autopsy reveals the presence of arsenic…
-James Travers’Read More »

Known as “Justice Is Done” in 1953 when it was first shown in the USA, it opens with a short briefing in English on the French jury system and then reverts to French with English subtitles. The Marshal summons the jury and an insight is given into the background of the seven jurors who are to decide on the guilt of the accused, a sick man’s mistress on trail for his mercy killing. The trial appears to be not presented to prove her innocence or guilt, but rather to let the court (film) philosophize on the moral acceptability of euthanasia.Read More »