Films francais
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La Nuit du carrefour
1932 Crime Thriller
 
Credits
  • Director: Jean Renoir
  • Script: Georges Simenon, Jean Renoir
  • Photo: Georges Asselin, Marcel Lucien
  • Cast: Pierre Renoir (Le commissaire Maigret), Georges Térof (Lucas, son adjoint), Winna Winifried (Else Andersen), Georges Koudria (Carl Andersen, son frère, le joaillier), Dignimont (Oscar), G.A. Martin (Granjean), Michel Duran (Jojo, le commis du garage), Jean Gehret (Emile Michonnet), Boulicot (Un gendarme), Max Dalban (Le docteur), Roger Gaillard (Le boucher), Jean Mitry (Arsène)
  • Country: France
  • Language: French
  • Runtime: 75 min; B&W
  • Aka: Night at the Crossroads
 
 
 
Summary
Inspector Maigret investigates the mysterious murder of a Dutch diamond dealer, found dead in a stolen car.  The car belongs to an insurance agent, Michonnet, and has been abandoned in the garage belonging to Carl Andersen.   Carl’s sister, Else, is not what she seems, but is linked to a gang of ruthless crooks...

Review
Jean Renoir is not normally associated with the crime thriller genre, but in La Nuit du carrefour he manages to turn out a more than satisfactory adaptation of a Georges Simenon novel.  Whilst it is apparent that the director is still experimenting with his technique, he shows a surprising maturity and in this film he appears to be defining the ground rules for what would become one of the most popular genres in French cinema in the following decades.  Renoir cast his own brother Pierre in the role of the Inspector Maigret, the second film appearance of the legendary pipe-smoking detective (the first being in Jean Tarride's Le Chien jaune, 1932).

© James Travers 2002


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