Clouzot. We’re at position #159 here so an auteur with a top 500 film of all-time (Diabolique) and another great film not far behind (Wages of Fear) and in the top 100 of its respective decade is getting rarer and rarer. That’s a strong 1-2 punch and certainly the reason Clouzot is on this list. He’s a technical master, mostly emotionally cool films that build tension, brick by brick, through superior craftsmanship. Certainly the lack of depth here hurts Clouzot’ case- just two archiveable films.
Best film: Diabolique. The consensus experts (on TSPDT) differ with me here but the wallop of the reveal in Diabolique is just something I cannot shake- even after repeat viewings.
total archiveable films: 2
top 100 films: 0
top 500 films: 1 (Diabolique)
top 100 films of the decade: 2 (Diabolique, The Wages of Fear)
most overrated: The Wages of Fear is #276 on the TSPDT consensus list and I’m farther down on it- it doesn’t land in my top 500 so we’re a ways apart here.
most underrated: Diabolique is at #627 on TSPDT and I’m at #221 so there’s a good 400 slots here in difference.
gem I want to spotlight : With only two archiveable films the “gem” and “overrated” categories have to overlap here. Just because the film doesn’t land in my top 500 certainly doesn’t mean it’s a gem—The Wages of Fear is quite brilliant—look at some of the framing and shadow work here.
The Wages of Fear
stylistic innovations/traits: Clouzot’s reputation is well earned—he’s known as a superior craftsman who made first-rate thrillers—sound like anyone else? Haha. There’s little wonder why he’s called the French Hitchcock. His resume rests on the two juggernauts made here in the 1950-‘s and they are magnificent- it is no wonder they were remade in Hollywood (anyone who wants to compare Clouzot with William Friedkin can do that as Friedkin, at the height of his powers coming off The French Connection and The Exorcist, chose to remake the Clouzot film).
top 10
- Diabolique
- The Wages of Fear
By year and grades
| 1953- The Wages of Fear | MS |
| 1954 – Diabolique | MP |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
Study Summary:
The Wages of Fear (1953) was one of the first French films I ever saw all the way back when the French New Wave reignited my interest in Cinema. Of course, The Wages of Fear was several years prior to the New Wave but I watched it alongside all the iconic New Wave films
Clouzot does not seem to get the same level of attention and respect as other top French auteurs. Maybe it is the timing, as his directorial career started about 15 years before the start of the French New Wave with his very best work predating it by about 5 years. Clouzot came along several years after the Poetic Realism Film Movement of the 1930s putting him in no man’s land in respect to French Film Movements/Eras
Clouzot’s films are for the most part set in a harsh world with few likable characters. There is a pervading misanthropy present in most if not all the films of the study. The cynicism present throughout much of his work has similarities with directors like Billy Wilder and Fritz Lang. Le Corbeau (1943) reminded me of Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon (2009) as you had a small town being targeted by an unknown assailant causing a mistrust amongst the residents who start to turn on each other. Even so, there are lighter moments especially in The Murderer Lives at 21 (1942) which centers around a murder mystery but is actually more of a dark comedy with a setup out of an Agatha Christie Mystery or an early British Hitchcock film
Similar to Polanski, Clouzot is skilled at manipulating space to impact mood. The Wages of Fear creates a claustrophobic atmosphere by shooting the drivers of the trucks in a way that accentuates the confined feeling inside the truck. This is contrasted by long shots of the trucks from a high angle which makes the truck and by extension the men inside it seem small and insignificant. His other masterpiece, Diabolique, does this even better
Clouzot’s films are not told from the perspective of any one single character; the camera work is consistent with this using many high angle shots and overhead shots. Several of his films would certainly qualify as location as character; the town in Le Corbeau, the apartment complex in The Murderer Lives at Number 21, and the fictional South American oil village in The Wages of Fear to name a few examples
Clouzot does not have a ton of jaw dropping singular images. However, many of his best visuals have roots in Film Noir. He is highly skilled in using high contrast lighting as well as stark black and white imagery, shadows, silhouette, and dimly lit interiors. His visual style appropriately fits the aforementioned bleak subject matter of his films. All but his final film were made in black and white. The Wages of Fear (1953) and Quai des Orfèvres (1947) in particular had crisp black and white photography; I also saw those two in 4K. In fact, as mentioned above The Wages of Fear having a recent Criterion 4K is one of the reasons I decided to do this Study along with me wanting to check out his work beyond his 2 best films
I think The Wages of Fear (1953) and Diabolique (1955) are clearly Clouzot’s two best films, the question is which is better? For me, The Wages of Fear is superior although the final 15 minutes of Diabolique (1955) is the best stretch of any of Clouzot’s films, The Wages of Fear included. It is masterful in the narrative, visuals, and atmosphere. Both of these contain excellent performances along with highly calculated suspense. Pacing is crucial with both of these films which take their time building up the story and inviting you (audience) into the desperate lives of their unpleasant characters. I do think The Wage of Fear has more impressive compositions as well as editing and camera movements. Quai des Orfèvres (1947) is a strong film as well, his 3rd best and featuring impressive compositions using frame in frames and splitting the frame in several shots with high contrast lighting
Like all great auteurs I will certainly come back to Clouzot in the future, but I do not expect my rankings on his work will change much overtime. But of course, I could be wrong about this. I think La Prisonnière (1968) is the film that might change the most with additional viewings, it is quite fascinating
Final Ranking and Grades:
# 1 The Wages of Fear (1953) – MP
# 2 Diabolique (1955) – MP
# 3 Quai des Orfèvres (1947) – MS/HR
# 4 Le Corbeau (1943) – HR
# 5 The Murderer Lives at Number 21 (1942) – HR
# 6 La Prisonnière (1968) – HR/R
# 7 La Vérité (1960) – R
La Prisonnière (1968)
Notes:
No Line Notes
Thoughts
Clouzot’s final film and his first film in color and he uses saturated colors including pink, green, red, and yellows. Much of the color is seen in actual artwork as the film is set around characters working at an art gallery and their homes contain modern art
The film focuses on an upper middle class woman named José who is in a stable but dull marriage and becomes drawn in to the owner of an art gallery named Stan who has a dark obsession. Josée is both repulsed and intrigued by Stan who works with her husband
On the surface parts of it might sound like a standard romantic triangle but that is not really the case here. The film is largely about bourgeois boredom as you have a woman who seems a bit lost despite having on the surface a comfortable life
The opening sequence effectively foreshadows the strange world of the film. I like the use of extreme close ups during the opening
The boxes that Stan keeps his dolls in function as a form of symbolism of people who separate or even confine more personal interests from perceived bourgeois respectableness
I could not help but notice similarities with Peeping Tom (1960) and The Collector (1965), those two films focus on characters with unhealthy psychosexual obsessions. You even have similarities with Blow Up (1966)
There is an incredible psychedelic dream/nightmare sequence at the end of the film; this scene by itself makes this film worth watching at least once. I like all the strange looking pop art and psychedelic art present during the gallery scene and in Stan’s apartment
Verdict: HR/R
La Vérité (1960)
Notes:
No Line Notes
Thoughts
The story uses a flashback structure as it moves back and forth with the present day timeline occurring in a court of law where Brigitte Bardot’s character is on trial for murder of a former boyfriend. The flashback timeline focuses on Bardot’s character who is a carefree type who shows no interest in school, work, or anything intellectual. Her rebelliousness is contrasted with her sister who is her opposite in many ways. She starts a volatile relationship with Sami Frey’s character Gilbert who is completely different in personality, values, and interests yet becomes transfixed on the gorgeous Bardot character
The use of depth of field is impressive along with character blocking in the courtroom sequences. Clouzot fills the frame with characters in many of the court sequences giving the case at hand a perceived importance to the trial
There are some effective close ups, the most important following the murder scene near the end of the film. The high transfer quality certainly helped as well
Even if Clouzot is not explicitly associated with the French New Wave, this film certainly has elements of French New Wave in the subject matter which revolves around rebellious young Parisian adults. There are a number of scenes in Parisian Streets, restaurants, and clubs. Godard’s Vivre sa vie (1962) might come to mind in subject matter as they both focus on the life of a Parisian woman living outside of typical societal standards
Verdict: HR/R
@James Trapp- love reading these- this is not one I’ve ever been able to catch- thanks for sharing
@Drake – thanks, it is worth a viewing for sure. Curious have you seen the 1956 film And God Created Woman directed by Roger Vadim and starring Brigitte Bardot? I noticed it is not on the 1956 page
@James Trapp- I have – yes, but I think just once
Diabolique (1955)
Notes:
Simone Signoret as Nicole Horner
Véra Clouzot as Christina Delassalle
Paul Meurisse as Michel Delassalle
Charles Vanel as Alfred Fichet
Opens with shot outside boarding school
5:59 Simone Signoret as Nicole Horner, a blonde woman wearing dark sunglasses with a cigarette dangling out her mouth
7:32 triangle composition with Paul Meurisse as Michel, the headmaster of the boarding school, Véra Clouzot as Christina who is married to Michel, and Simone Signoret as Nicole who is Michel’s mistress although she is friends with Christina
10:31 splitting of frame creating frame in frames of the headmaster’s wife and mistress sitting side by side
12:46 Michel is a tyrannical control freak
13:13 the students chanting “I want food” during meal
15:25 notable amount of negative space in this shot showing disconnect between Michel and Christina
15:44 Michel physically abuses Christina off screen
17:17 Christina leaving school with suitcase
17:39 series of impressive use of shadow alerting Nicole’s presence off screen
22:06 overhead shot of the pair moving a trunk
24:55 extreme close up on ears during phone call
26:00 shot of exterior train with high contrast lighting
26:23 frame in frame using window
32:56 Michel arrives
33:18 mirror used to frame shot showing Christina’s reflection sharing screen with Michel
36 min a bitter argument about their marriage goes around in circles
39:18 shadow of Christina in bathroom is visible
42:35 close up on eyes of Michel’s with bathtub filling up in background
44:14 triangle composition with shadow over Christina
45:25 camera close to subject in this sequence which consists of the two women drowning Michel in a bathtub creating a claustrophobic atmosphere
46:00 Michel submerged in bathtub
47:15 cut to the older couple in the apartment unit above
48:28 static camera as Christina moves through empty hallway
49:26 the box with Michel’s body almost opens up in front of the older couple who help them move the trunk into the back of a vehicle
53:50 venetian blind patterned shadows
56:52 Michel’s head is a disturbing sight to behold
57:33 high contrast lighting in this frame
57:51 camera lingers over water following Michel’s body pushed into the water
1:00:31 suspense builds in back and forth between Christina and pool maintenance worker
1:00:53 inverted image of school building over the water
1:01:54 the women handle the death quite differently as Chistina is nervous about getting caught while Nicole is confident that they effectively covered their tracks
1:07:21 Christina faints upon seeing pool emptied without the body in it
1:07:44 two-shot of the two women with bars in background of frame resemble prison bar
1:14:24 slow opening of door and mirror image of Christina
1:15:30 Nicole is now the one nervously pacing around and Christina seemingly calm
1:19:06 Christina enters police station to ask about a body found
1:21:30 frame in frame using doorway and an elevator
1:23:27 Charles Vanel as Alfred Fichet, a retired senior policeman, working as a private detective
1:32:12 Private detective is framed behind bars resembling prison bars
1:40:15 POV through a magnifying glass
1:42:40 The PI watches over Christina as she literally twists and turns in her sleep
1:44:20 Christian attempts to confess to the PI but he does not seem to believe her
1:47:18 Impressive depth of field work in this shot
1:48:00 slowly opening door and high contrast lighting
1:48:44 shadowy figure in building across from Christina’s unit and through her POV
1:53:31 Michel rising from the bathtub causing Christina to die from shock
Thoughts
This along with Wages of Fear (1955) is considered to be one of Clouzot’s two best films and it is easy to see why
The film revolves around three characters; Michel Delassalle (Paul Meurisse) is the tyrannical headmaster of a boarding school, the schoolmaster’s wife Christina (Véra Clouzot) and the schoolmaster’s mistress Nicole (Simone Signoret). Meurisse as the bullying and all around unpleasant headmaster is excellent. He truly has no redeemable qualities and is so unlikable that even when he is or appears to be the victim of a crime it does not evoke any sympathy. Véra Clouzot does fine work although I think Simone Signoret is even better. Charles Vanel as the Inspector Alfred Fichet is entirely authentic as a recently retired police officer now working as a private detective
On the surface it would seem like a standard love triangle but here the mistress is an open mistress and neither the mistress nor the wife seem angry at one another, if anything they seem aligned in their task of taking out the abusive man in both their lives. The matter of fact nature of the women’s team up is very different than one would expect. There are little details I love like the Simone Signoret’s character wearing sunglasses indoors
Apparently, Alfred Hitchcock wanted to make this, but Clouzot purchased the rights before Hitchcock could. In a related note, Robert Bloch, the author of the novel of the 1959 Psycho which served as the basis for Hitchcock’s 1960 film, was himself a fan of Diabolique (1955) and considered it his favorite horror film. Speaking of Hitchcock, it is hard to watch this without thinking about him. There is a scene where a dead body is nearly discovered in a large truck, which made me think of Rope (1948). You also have a main character killed before the midway point, although in this film it was not a surprise, and the character killed was truly despicable
Clouzot uses doorways and windows to frame many of his shots, he actually does this in many of his films, but I have noticed it more and more. In the 2nd half of the film many of the shots of Christina are framed with bars in the foreground or background resembling prison bars as the women become increasingly concerned with getting caught
Clouzot uses patterned shadow, in particular patterns of bars which are used in some of the best shots in the early scenes of The Wages of Fear (1953). There is effective use of high contrast lighting throughout the film which has numerous compositions with one or more character covered in shadow
The disgusting pool at the boarding school serves as a sort of motif for the rot that has accumulated between the 3 main characters, none of whom are likable although it is clear who is the most despicable. The school is poorly run and has limited funds although the schoolmaster’s wife Christina (Véra Clouzot) seems to genuinely care for the students
The final 15 minutes is incredible on several levels and especially the final 5 minutes with a crazy reveal. There is a shot of a shadowy figure in the building across from the Christina’s POV a la Psycho (1960) when you think you are seeing Norman Bates mother. The level of suspense ramps up to an incredible level during the final sequence
Clouzot really knows how to pace his films; the story builds up effectively as we are immersed into the otherwise dull lives of three characters at small boarding school with limited funds. I think you could label this as a “slow burn” film that contains elements of horror, melodrama, and noir
The film does not have a score or even use diegetic music. I think this impacts the film’s slow burn as there are not significant emotional swings from scene to scene
The end of the film contains a message to the audience not to reveal the twist ending to people yet to see the film, this is another aspect of the film that ties back to Hitchcock who would do the same thing with Psycho 5 years later
Verdict: MP
Wages of Fear (1953)
Notes:
Mario (Yves Montand)
Jo (Charles Vanel)
Luigi (Folco Lulli)
Bimba (Peter van Eyck)
Clouzot’s real life wife, Véra Clouzot as Linda
Starts with close up on small insects and fade out revealing young children in an impoverished South American village
3:42 depth of field on display with telephone poles creating a subtle frame in frame
3:45 Jeep with “SOC” on back drives recklessly and splashes a group of locals
4:16 venetian blind shadow patterns from awning
4:34 man cruelly throws rock at dogs for his amusement
5:02 Clouzot’s real life wife
6:58 another shot with pattered shadow as group of underemployed men hang around bar
9:16 low angle shot with camera near level of ground
9:47 Bimba is a Dutch man working in the area
11:37 Jo, a Frenchman, walks off the plane
13:27 shot captures village
15:04 Jo and Mario meet, they are both Frenchman so they bond over that
22:18 Mario tells Jo why it is not possible to leave the place
23:03 low angle shot of oil tower in progress towering over the village
24:00 American Corporation Southern Oil Company (SOC) is the only employer in the small town
25:27 frame in frame using window
26:21 Luigi is an Italian man working in the area
28:55 Jo at barber shop with mirror composition
31:55 tracking shot into bar at night
34 min Luigi orders champagne for all at the bar
35:25 camera on ground level shoots Jo approaching Luigi
35:30 Jo sprays bottle on Luigi leading to a tense standoff with Luigi raising bottle and Jo pulling a gun but giving it to Luigi who refuses to shoot, this is captured with several close ups on their faces
40:36 low angle shot with injured man wrapped in bandages in midground next to SOC agent with oil tower and dark clouds in background of the frame
48:00 another shot with pattered shadows and depth of field
52:21 two-shot as Jo asks to be one of the driver’s but the boss, who is also an old friend, says he’s too old but promises him the job if anyone backs out
54:26 Linda praying after hanging up religious statue
59:35 nice blocking with 4 men about to go out and the big boss in the middle as they watch nitroglycerin barrels being loaded, the tension throughout this scene is palpable
1:05:25 high contrast lighting as SOC trucks start driving off
1:07:38 inverted reflection of SOC truck in puddle
1:08:40 camera placed in back seat of the truck at shoulder level
1:15:38 high contrast lighting in medium close up on a shot of Luigi’s illuminated face while driving
1:21:36 tower visible in deep background in shot of trucks which accentuates negative space
1:31:25 low angle shot wooden boards along a cliff
1:35:33 low angle shot of truck backing along a cliff
1:36:51 X shaped wooden boards near cliff, there are a number of extreme angles during this scene near the cliff
1:39:15 perhaps the most tense scene yet as wood boards crumble
1:55:45 series of extreme close ups during tense sequence of Bimba carefully creating device
1:58:30 explosion after long build up
2:03:32 explosion from POV of Mario and Jo as they realize Luigi and Bimba were killed
2:07:27 high angle shot of oil puddle
2:07:49 nice framing in this long shot
2:10:48 close up on truck tires entering the puddle
2:11:48 Jo after being fully submerged in oil
2:21:21 two-shot of Mario driving truck with injured Mario leaning on him from passenger seat, both covered in oil
2:25:48 close up on the face of Mario breaking down as Jo dies in his arms
2:26:26 massive fire by oil towers
2:27:27 high contrast lighting in shot of tower with man in deep background
2:28:14 an exhausted Mario is greeted upon making it to the location
Paraellel editing showing Mario driving back in reckless fashion and people back in town dancing and having a good time. This ends with Mario driving off the cliff to his death
Thoughts
Part of why I chose to cover Clouzot is because Criterion recently released a 4K version of this film; the transfer quality is impeccable with crisp black and white photography
I posted the following about 3 years ago:
“The 1st half is a little slow, but I think the setting up of the characters is necessary in showing the emptiness in their lives and why they would agree to a literal suicide mission. The opening reminds me a little of the Treasure of the Sierra Madre. But once things get going it’s absolutely amazing.
The entire last 1 1/2 hours is Hitchcock’s maxim on display. “Surprise is when two people are sitting in a coffee shop and a bomb goes off under the table; suspense is when we see a man place a bomb under the table and watch the two people meet to have coffee.”
The film has strong political undertones to it, but it works so well as a straight up thriller and action film that any ideological aspects of it are sort of neutralized.”
All of this holds up, especially about Hitchcock’s maxim. The entire second half of the film is just about the most precisely calculated set suspense of any film. I mean the film puts you right with these characters during what essentially becomes a suicide mission as they navigate a truck full of nitroglycerin through a treacherous mountain range
This is a harsh, cruel world. The film establishes this early on with a man tossing rocks at dog for amusement. The film is pretty much devoid of likable characters. There are similarities with the opening segments to the early scenes in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) and Only Angels Have Wings (1939). The film could be labeled as an existential thriller, you have a group of expatriates who seem a bit lost in their lives as they are doing jobs just to put food on the table and drink at night with little else
The film is certainly a prime example of location as character, the story is set in a fictional South American town. The town is poor and offers little economic opportunities outside of the massive American company named “Southern Oil Company” or “SOC”. There is one main bar that the locals go to and little else going on. Wide angle lens are used to capture the treacherous landscapes the drivers are up against. The use of depth of field is impressive as Clouzot will make use of the entire frame, this really is noticeable on rewatches. There is a contrast with that and the way Clouzot shoots the men inside the trucks with camera at close distance to enhance the confined space in order to create a claustrophobic atmosphere. There are long shots that emphasize the vastness of their surroundings giving the film a man vs nature element present in American Westerns
The camera movements are effective as the most tense scenes will use a static camera and as an explosion or other dangerous event is taking place the camera moves more with faster cuts using more extreme angles, unnerving low angle and high angle shots which accentuate the danger
Clouzot likes using patterned shadows, here there are a number of stunning shots where he uses the awning of the bars/restaurants the men hang around in the early parts of the film to create these magnificent images. The film uses high contrast lighting effectively; this is most apparent in the oil pool scene when Jo is fully submerged in the black oil which contrasts notably with the white sunlight beaming down on Jo and Mario
I missed it in early viewings, but at the 3:45 in the film there is a scene with a Jeep with “SOC” driving recklessly and splashing mud on a group of locals, serves as great foreshadowing as the American based Oil Giant drives around without regard for the locals. As noted above, the film’s political undertones probably are less notable today and really should not get in the way of anyone enjoying or appreciating the film
The pacing is crucial as the film takes the time to get to the actual drive which does not begin until about 65 minutes into the153 minute film. These early scenes are necessary in showing the emptiness of the 4 men and why they would be willing to take on a near suicide mission in the first place. The film’s mood and atmosphere immerses you into the narrative. I felt like I was actually part of the journey and in particular during a few key scenes where the tension is palpable. The patience is key to these scenes as they ramp up the suspense and you are practically holding your breath during these sequences
Verdict: MP (borderline top 100 all time)
Quai des Orfèvres (1947)
Notes:
Maurice (played by Bernard Blier)
Jenny Lamour (played by Suzy Delair)
Dora (played by Simone Renant)
Brignon (played by Charles Dullin)
Starts with women walking through street
2:50 silhouette and shadow imagery inside building as women walk through dimly lit staircase
4:01 Maurice is anxious and jealous of men spending time with his wife Jenny
5:38 Cabaret singer Jenny Lamour in front of mirrors creating 5 images of her
7:04 frame in frame created by the stage Jenny performs on
8:30 hazy light in theatre
10:55 photo shoot with Jenny posing
15:04 medium close up on Jenny cuts to close up on boiling water of her husband, Maurice
17:45 Maurice is jealous and overbearing as he tries to prevent the ambitious Jenny from career opportunities if they involve dealing with any other men even in a profession setting
20:00 Maurice threatens Brignon, an older man with connections to show business
21:27 nice splitting of screen during duet
23:54 camera zooms in on Brignon’s address
26:50 frame in frame via mirror reflection of the show
28:15 silhouette image of Maurice followed by shadow of Maurice
28:58 POV from Maurice with dolly-in on a dead Brignon
30:47 Jenny confesses to killing Brignon after he sexually assaulted her
34:14 tracking shot of Maurice moving through crowded streets
43:10 diner customers indignant about reporting to police
44:10 high angle frame in frame
51:37 frame in frame via doorway curtains as the Inspector enters the restaurant while they play music to question Maurice and Jenny about the murder
56:17 performers in background of frame as Inspector continues questioning people
58:24 dancers in background in white clothing and male watchers in midground wearing dark colored suits and hats
58:40 smoke throughout theatre with men in audience smoking cigarettes
1:03:40 Maurice taken to police station to give official statement
1:11:09 the frame is packed to the brim with an audience of men who are watching Jenny’s performance with Jenny in the center of the frame
1:12:25 split diopter shot or something resembling one with Jenny and the Inspector speaking to one another in two different rooms
1:13:53 Jenny and Inspector argue about the nature of police work or at least police officers who Jenny clearly feels contempt for
1:14:47 several streetlights visible in deep background of frame
1:16:36 Jenny in right side of frame during rainy night
1:20:54 nice splitting of screen into thirds with characters in three different depths of field
1:32:20 nice blocking in this three-shot at police station
1:33:42 Maurice in center of frame with four police surrounding him as he breaks down from the intense interrogation
1:36:33 Maurice tells the truth but is not believed by the detectives
1:38:45 shot of Maurice and a woman in a jail cell
1:39:00 shadow of jail bars over woman next to Maurice followed by a close up on Marice who attempts suicide
1:40:07 cut to close up on woman screaming upon seeing Maurice’s suicide attempt
The film has a contrived happy ending
Thoughts
The film revolves around the murder of a repulsive music producer named Brignon (Charles Dullin) who is known for helping the careers of young women in return for sexual favors, sounds a bit like Harvey Weinstein. The lead characters are Jenny Lamour, a young attractive and talented performer and her older and very jealous husband Maurice who becomes the prime suspect. The film is not a whodunit however, as both the identity and motive of the murderer are made clear shortly after the murder takes place
The film has plenty of noir staples including high contrast lighting with shadows and silhouettes, dim lit streets at night, an ambitious female, an insecure male. Some highlights include high contrast lighting and using depth of field in several shots inside the theatre with rows of men in foreground watching the shows and female dancers in background in white light. There are actually a number of shots which have noticeable details in the deep background of the frame. The scene where Maurice attempts suicide inside a jail cell has some impressive use of shadow patterns over the Maurice and the other woman in the cell
There are some great compositions inside the theatre including ones using the stage to create a frame in frame. The film has a couple of shots that are either split diopter or at least closely resemble them around the 72 minute mark when Jenny and the Inspector speak to each other from different rooms
The characters are nuanced for the most part aside from Brignon who is just repulsive. Maurice’s jealously consumes him but at other times he seems like a reasonable man, and even when he is in a jealous state, he comes off more as pathetic than intimidating. Jenny kills a man and conceals her involvement, but it is in self-defense. You are expecting her to be a femme fatale, but she is not that. The Inspector also seems like a decent man but is also willing to cut corners during the investigation
The contrived ending is the only real weakness although it does not hurt the film too much
Verdict: MS/HR
Le Corbeau (1943) or The Raven (1943)
Notes:
Pierre Fresnay as Doctor Rémy Germain
Starts with title card indicating a small town, followed by sweeping high angle shot and a dissolve to arch frame
3:18 cathedral dissolve to a shot of the countryside including cows and farmland
3:45 the Doctor Pierre Fresnay as Doctor Rémy Germain
4:57 high angle shot of group of school children
6:47 zoom in on razor given François, a cancer patient
9:42 the Doctor and a schoolmaster speak with fence separating them
15:17 keyhole POV shot a la Polanski
16:45 camera zooms on hands opening up mail
22:43 slanderous letter signed by “The Raven”
23:45 the Doctor accuses woman of faking the letters
27:47 narrow frame in framed and depth of field
32:08 use of shadow
38:14 the Doctor finds an actual black raven on his doorstep
39:37 woman sitting in empty church next to candle lights
42:02 nice character blocking in this composition inside Church
45:30 the overhead shot cuts to a low angle shot of parade of people walking through the town
48:40 slightly canted angle as woman is chased through the streets by angry mob
49:27 broken mirror frames shot of woman upon entering the room
54:20 triangle composition via mirror
56:06 high angle shot of packed Church sermon
56:48 note falls from Church ceiling which turns out to be another note from The Raven
58:52 nice composition with character blocking in surveillance camera angle
1:05:50 Doctor Michel Vorzet talks to the Doctor about potential motives or suspects
1:07:21 window frame in frame
1:09:21 town conducting writing tests to find out the identity of The Raven
1:13:54 swinging light bulb causes shadow over Professor on and off during discussion about human duality
1:17:58 Professor receives another letter from The Raven
1:19:50 Denise is caught red handed writing a letter when the Professor checks in on her
1:20:50 rare use of close up on faces
1:22:06 The Professor confronts Laura
1:24:00 close ups on faces of Professor and Laura after he sees ink on Laura’s hand
1:28:14 Laura tells the Doctor that Dr. Vorzet confesses is the actual Raven
The film ends with Germain finding Dr. Vorzet’s body as he was murdered by the cancer patient’s mother as he was writing the Raven’s final letter
Thoughts
Clouzot with a thriller/horror film set in a small French town
The Murderer Lives at 21, has some similarities in the basic setup with a who done it type of narrative set in a confined location although here it is a town village. There is a notable change in mood and tone however, as The Raven is darker and more serious while The Murder Lives at 21 was much more comedic
The film has political undertones with the film revolving around a small town in which people start to turn on each other, this film was released during the reign of the Vichy Government who banned the film from theatres throughout Vichy France. In fact, the film was controversial across the political aisle for reasons unrelated to its cinematic quality
The film is set around a series of letters to various town residents which contain information that is either incriminating, libelous, or destructive in some other way. The letters start being released in public places such as a Church of a crowded street in order to magnify the destructive information. The film is set in a small unnamed town that is a stand in for any small town/village. There is a strong underlying misanthropy that reminded me of Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon (2009)
The film uses many high angle shots and even overhead shots, I like this choice as the film is not told through any one perspective and the town itself essentially functions as a character. There is a chase scene involving an angry mob
Clouzot uses shadows and silhouette several times along with disturbing imagery such as a broken mirror or dead birds. Around the 73 minute mark there is a great scene involving a swinging light bulb, which as it moves back and forth creates a shadow over the Doctor on and off during a discussion between the Doctor and Dr. Vorzet about human duality
Verdict: HR
L’assassin habite au 21 (1942)
Notes:
Pierre Fresnay as Inspector Wenceslas Vorobeychik referred to as “Wens”
Starts with man in bar throwing around cash after winning lottery
3:14 the man is warned about Monsieur Durand
4:14 creative framing and POV stalking
4:44 POV of unseen person stalking the man who just left from the bar
5:26 POV murder with terrified face of the victim
5:37 the murderer leaves his calling card “Monsieur Durand”
6:40 detective is given 1 week to catch the murderer
7:23 camera rapid dolly into letter informing just 2 days to catch the murderer
10:04 a wannabe singer is told to arrest Mr. Durand and she will get the job
10:57 another POV stalking sequence ending in a murder and robbery
15:25 singing man sitting on top of streetlamp insults off duty police officer leading to “Monsieur Durand” cards falling out of his pocket, he is brought to police station
17:44 the streetlamp man informs police that “the murderer lives at 21” of The Mimosas Boardinghouse on Junot Avenue
21:30 sign for “The Mimosa’s Boardinghouse 21”
21:33 cut to a birdcage with canary sounds”
26:06 Wens goes undercover as a Minister and asks to take a room at The Mimosa’s Boardinghouse
29:17 Wen’s wife receives letter from Wens of his whereabouts
30:04 blind boxer is resident of the house
31:10 the man in room 12 shows Wens dolls of the serial killer holding weapon
33:18 keyhole POV shot a la Polanski
40:43 amusing dialogue as the house residents speculate on who the killer is
41:27 one resident shows admiration for the killer
43:20 an older woman who happens to be a writer talks about an idea for a mystery novel about a murderer living at a house like the one they live at
46:13 Wens has blunt object smashed over his head
47:25 overhead shot of group of police arriving
48:05 masterful shadow works with patterned shadow of the staircase
48:10 silhouette imagery with frame in frame just before another body is discovered
49:43 Lens revealed to be okay as he was merely injured
51:47 camera pans 360 over suspects/residents of house
53:11 split frame with nice use of shadow
53:34 frame in frame behind bars
55:10 a dead body literally falls into Len’s arms with note from the killer
58:25 mirror frame in frame
1:02:56 haunting use of close up and camera push in
1:12:06 Wen has gun pulled on him
1:12:37 frame in frame in walkway opening
1:14:55 concert arranged to celebrate three of the residents being cleared by police
1:16:15 fast series of cuts from POV of performer on stage
1:18:45 it is revealed to be all three of the suspects working together instead of there being a single murderer making them “artists in crime”
1:19:23 the three humorously offer Wens his choice of weapon to die by
The film ends with Wens stalling long enough for teams of police to show up to save him
Thoughts
After years working as a screen writer this was the directorial debut of Henri-Georges Clouzot
Starts with an excellent opening sequence as following a bar scene we a murder from the POV of the actual murderer. This comes 16 years before Peeping Tom (1960) and 36 years before Halloween (1978). We see from the perspective of the murderer as he picks up a sharp object and uses it while we see the terrified face of the victim
This is a fun film to watch, a bit like an earlier Hitchcock film. Of course, this seems appropriate as Clouzot was referred to by some as “The French Hitchcock”. The film also has the dark humor and macabre associated with many of Hitchcock’s films, especially his early work
Clouzot uses shadows and silhouette at times with a standout occurring at the 48 minute mark. There are a number of scenes including the first murder of an empty street at night, a film noir staple, including a streetlamp
An efficient 83 minutes, as early on there is a humorous montage of inspectors fired over their failure to catch the murderer. By the end I had basically figured out the reveal but that does not make it any less enjoyable
Some amusing meta commentary as one of the characters, is a writer, who talks about an idea for a novel which is essentially the plot of the movie. Aside from Hitchcock, Agatha Christie is another comparison that seems appropriate. There are a colorful cast of characters living in the house, each becoming a suspect for varying reasons
Fun Fact: there is a poster for this film visible in Shosanna’s Movie Theater in Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds (2009)
Verdict: HR
@Lionel@Drake – thank you, yes Criterion Channel has 6 films of his currently although Quai des Orfevres (1947) is not one of those 6
@Drake – Have you seen any other films from Henri-Georges Clouzot since making this page? I rank both of the films you have here as MP. Have you seen other films of his that did not make the archives?
@James Trapp-I think Quai des Orfevres (1947) made his top 1000 list.
@James Trapp- and @Lionel- Lionel is right- those are three (3) right now – there are a few others in my Criterion favorites to check off the list soon hopefully
My ranking of Clouzot`s films that I`ve seen:
1. Diabolique MP
2. The Wages of Fear MS/MP
3. The Murderer Lives At Number 21 HR
A pretty daunting question but can you suggest me some great French films before the “nouvelle vague” like Diabolique.
@Drake @James Trapp – Thanks guys!
@James Trapp – Yeah, I understand the argument if someone says that the first part is slow or overlong, but personally I’ve enjoyed it very much. It establishes our not so noble heroes, their relationships and desperation and builds up Jo.
Agree, that second half is just unrelenting and Clouzot milks every ounce of suspense from it.
Good call on political undertones. Also, it has Clouzot usual bleak view of humanity.
What you think about the ending? I’m a bit on the fence about it. I like parallel editing in it, and it fits with character. But at the same time, the irony of it is so heavy-handed.
Also, I’m curious, have you seen Sorcerer? I would be very interested in your opinion about it since you rate Wages so highly.
@MadMike – I have mixed feelings on the ending, today Hollywood films are almost contractually obligated to have a happy ending even if it does not fit with the rest of the film. At the same time I do not think a film should avoid a happy ending just for the sake of avoiding a happy ending as that is almost just as bad. I agree that it was somewhat heavy handed but at the same time it was consistent with the bleak nature of the film and consistent with Mario’s character who was cocky and acted invincible at times so it makes sense that he would be driving the truck so recklessly. And agree on the parallel editing being great.
I have not seen Sorcerer yet, but look forward to checking it out at some point. Have you seen it?
@James Trapp – Yeah, I think we are pretty much on the same page regarding the ending.)
I haven’t seen Sorcerer yet. I’m think about doing Friedkin study next year.
My Clouzot ranking:
1. Wages of Fear – MS/MP – leaning MP.
2. Diabolique – MS
3. The Murderer Lives at Number 21- HR
4. Quai des Orfèvres – HR
5. La Vérité – R
6. Le Corbeau – R
7. La Prisonnière – Fringe Reccomendation.
8. Manon – Average. Not worthy of archives.
9. Les espions – Average. Not worthy of archives.
Some notes.
– Really enjoyed journey through his films. While visually, I don’t think his movies are very similar visually or that he favors some specific cinematic tools, but I think they all share the same cynical worldview (he reminds of Wilder in this regard actually).
– He also loved to criticize bourgeoisie morality and was very interested in obsessive jealousy. I think he was very consistent regarding these themes throughout his cinematic life.
– The top two films are justly the most lauded in his filmography, but you shouldn’t sleep on his other movies.
– Murderer and Quai des Orfèvres are clever and witty murder mysteries. Which keep twisting and turning till very end.
– La Verite is an interesting courtroom/relationship drama with a surprising feminist edge. And Le Corbeau while didn’t completely work on story level for me, but is probably is the most visually intriguing movie from Clouzot early days. Well worth a watch.
– La Prisonnière is a weird one. Half of the movie is pretty rote love triangle melodrama. But there are some fascinating things about submissive relationship and in the finale Clouzot used some surrealistic techniques he wanted to use in his abandoned project Inferno (which is an interesting story onto itself, Serge Bromberg did a decent documentary about it). So I think it’s worth a look for Clouzot enthusiasts.)
– Les Spiones is for my money his weakest film. It plays a pretty absurd situation straight and suffers for it. But Sam Jaffe and especially Peter Ustinov are very fun here.
@Mad Mike- Fantastic share here. Thank you. I have some work to do.
@MadMike – Funny I just watched Wages of Fear a couple of nights ago, my 3rd viewing. Absolutely amazing concept for a film. The 1st half is a little slow but I think the setting up of the characters is necessary in showing the emptiness in their lives and why they would agree to a literal suicide mission. The opening reminds me a little of the Treasure of the Sierra Madre. But once things get going it’s absolutely amazing.
The entire last 1 1/2 hours is Hitchcock’s maxim on display:
“surprise is when two people are sitting in a coffee shop and a bomb goes off under the table; suspense is when we see a man place a bomb under the table and watch the two people meet to have coffee.”
The film has strong political undertones to it but it works so well as a straight up thriller and action film that any ideological aspects of it are sort of neutralized.