L’Héritier
| 1973
Crime / Thriller |
 |
Credits Director:
Philippe LabroScript: Philippe Labro and Jacques Lanzmann Photo: Jean Penzer Music: Michel Colombier Cast: Jean-Paul Belmondo (Barthelemy Cordell), Carla Gravina (Liza Rocquencourt), Jean Rochefort (André Berthier), Charles Denner (David Loweinstein), Jean Desailly (Jean-Pierre Carnavan), Jean Martin (Mgr Schneider), Maurice Garrel (Brayen), Pierre Grasset (Pierre Delmas), Maureen Kerwin (Lauren Korey), François Chaumette (Theron-Maillard), Michel Beaune (Frédéric Lambert), Marcel Cuvelier (Le minister), Anna Orso (Giovanella Cordell) Runtime: 107 min Aka: The Inheritor Summary When his father, a
wealthy industrialist, is killed in aeroplane crash, Bart Cordell
returns to France to take up the reins of the empire he has
inherited. When a prostitute attempts to frame him for drug
smuggling, he begins to suspect is father may have been murdered.
Bart’s investigation uncovers a complex web of political intrigue, in
which his own family and his stepfather are heavily implicated…
Review With this stylish
thriller, Philippe Labro takes some carefully judged swipes at his own
profession, that of journalism, whilst referencing some major
topical concerns – including corruption in politics and industry.
This is Labro’s third film and although it feels heavily overloaded
with content, it is well crafted and a compelling example of the polar
(mystery-thriller) genre. Some unusual camera framing and sharp
editing brings a frisson of originality into what was, even by the
early 1970s, a pretty formulaic and heavily over-used genre. The film’s charismatic hero is played by Jean-Paul Belmondo, who was – alongside Alain Delon – the most popular film actor in France at the time. Alas, there are none of the trademark Belmondo stunts in this film – which is actually to the film’s advantage. Belmondo’s performance is credible, but his characterisation shows little variation from film to film – not that the cinema-going public of the day minded. The plethora of other talented actors – including Jean Desailly, Jean Rochefort and Charles Denner – add to the film’s quality feel but are large wasted as it is Belmondo who, as ever, draws the focus throughout. Although the film was not a staggering success (of the kind that many of Belmondo’s films were in this decade), it did attract a respectable audience in France of over two million spectators. The film’s controversial subject matter, and its equally controversial ending, may have lessened its appeal. The “neo-polar” (conspiracy thriller) element of L’Héritier was not greatly appreciated at the time but would have a strong presence on French cinema by the end of the 1970s as a series of headline-grabbing scandals rocked the political establishment across Europe. Like a good journalist, Philippe Labro was well ahead of the game. © James Travers 2004 |
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