Portrait d'un assassin

I must confess that I am unfamiliar with the work of director Bernard-Roland and was drawn to this purely by the tantalising cast list. Maria Montez would hardly be likely to win any kudos for her dramatic skills but she is well cast here and relishes her role. What can one possibly say about Brasseur, von Stroheim, Berry and Dalio? Consummate professionals all and blessed with that indefinable something extra. As a further bonus we have the mesmerising Arletty, indisputably one of her nation's greatest stars. Things could never be quite the same for her after the War for reasons that have been well documented but she never ceased to be great value, whatever her material.

This is a truly bizarre opus but absolutely riveting thanks to Bernard-Roland's taut direction, the score by Maurice Thiriet, cinematographer Roger Hubert's 'noirish' touches and of course its charismatic players.