Jesus (Jess) Franco was incredibly prolific and seems to have concentrated mostly on horror and sexploitation, so it's no surprise that his oeuvre is rated poorly, even by himself. It seems he took greater pains with his early work, because this 1963 noir, which isn't even listed among his films in Jean Tulard's "Dictionnaire du Cinema", is excellent. I'm grateful to the ever-splendid Movie Detective for the chance to see it on DVD.
Fernand Fernan Gomez plays Miguel Mora, a Central American cop obsessed with bringing down Leprince (Jean Servais) who arrived in the country in 1944, so you can guess what he did in the war. Mora's informer Juan is killed and when Mora goes to the nightcub Leprince owns and accuses him Leprince's three thugs beat Mora savagely and throw him into the sea. He survives, and then someone starts killing the thugs.
Mora's boss, played by an actor with the worst skin you ever saw, initially suspects Mora; a bit daft since Mora is still hobbling badly and couldn't have chased the thug down a pier and stabbed him. We know the killer is a woman avenging Juan's death, and there's a clue to her identity early on.
The film has flaws. Too many musical and dance scenes in the nightclub, which seem like padding, and the police raid on the nightclub is unconvincing: it was a surprise raid, so how come the waiters all seemed to have guns? These. though, are minor quibbles. Franco was clearly talented, and this is a rare treat. I can't recall seeing another Spanish noir.
BTW, the following year the roles were reversed and Fernan Gomez directed Franco in "A Strange Journey", one of the most brilliant Spanish films I've seen.
Review of Rififí en la ciudad
