Gilles Grangier's most salutary quality was his flair for films noirs , the 1955-1959 era plus "danger de mort" (1947)
"Le cavalier noir" (called "the black count" ,not "the black horseman" in the story ) is tongue in chick Robin Hood cum Dick Turpin adventures ;besides as the hero , Georges Guétary, is primarily a singer , it's also a musical and his songs,if your taste don't run that way, get in the way .
Guétary and co-star Nicole Maurey are bland and devoid of panache and charisma ;thus the best moments come from the old guard ,Jean Tissier and Alerme: the first is an officer in charge of fighting the smugglers :at the time ,there was in France a salt tax ,the "Gabelle" ; and he's so dumb one can wonder why his master,the marquis, never fired him ; the noble is not very smart either ;the first sequences are really funny : the officer takes the enemy (the black count) to the marquis' s desirable castle where both men reveal their plans to the outlaw ; the old local country squire tells about his numerous trysts in Versailles of yore .He and his henchman make a riotously funny pair, but the film quickly loses steam .
"Le cavalier noir" (called "the black count" ,not "the black horseman" in the story ) is tongue in chick Robin Hood cum Dick Turpin adventures ;besides as the hero , Georges Guétary, is primarily a singer , it's also a musical and his songs,if your taste don't run that way, get in the way .
Guétary and co-star Nicole Maurey are bland and devoid of panache and charisma ;thus the best moments come from the old guard ,Jean Tissier and Alerme: the first is an officer in charge of fighting the smugglers :at the time ,there was in France a salt tax ,the "Gabelle" ; and he's so dumb one can wonder why his master,the marquis, never fired him ; the noble is not very smart either ;the first sequences are really funny : the officer takes the enemy (the black count) to the marquis' s desirable castle where both men reveal their plans to the outlaw ; the old local country squire tells about his numerous trysts in Versailles of yore .He and his henchman make a riotously funny pair, but the film quickly loses steam .