eric-baril Reviews

Mea culpa (2014)

remember Fred Cavayé

[9 February 2014]

When I saw the trailer of Mea Culpa, I was really seduced. Vincent Lindon and Gilles Lellouche together in a thriller with real tough scenes, I jumped on this must see ... and I wasn't disappointed at all.

And the movie begins very hard, and it goes on like this till the end : lot of twists and surprises all along the movie, with physical strength and action packed sequences. And noir destiny, very noir.

Believe it, editing and cinematography serve effectively each scene, and you are always surprised. A constant pleasure. And a very smart ending.

Vincent Lindon and Gilles Lellouche are stunning, I just loved their magnetic friendship. They are the main characters really developed.

There are some relevant references to classic movies masterpieces, which make want to see again Framed directed by Phil Karlson, same kind of fights.

I'm waiting for the next Fred Cavayé.

Le mannequin assassiné (1948)

a rare Steeman adaptation

[7/10 · 31 January 2014]

"Le Mannequin Assassiné" is one of the last adaptation from the great Stanislas-André Steeman (three times adapted by Henri-George Clouzot). Steeman plays shortly a character of chemist. The Belgian actor Robert Lussac co-produced this movie and plays the commissioner Malaise, who looks very much alike Commissioner Maigret : in fact, Malaise existed before Maigret.

We are very far from the masterpieces directed by Clouzot, however, it is still entertaining thanks to the cast (Blanchette Brunoy, Daniel Gélin, Gabriello and the colorful Julien Carette).

The director Pierre De Hérain was the son-in-law of Maréchal Pétain. His directing career is from 1943 to 1949 with only five movies. "Le Mannequin Assassiné" is still very hard to find.

Nice cinematography by Marcel Grignon, who would enlighten in the 60's all the De Funès movies.

Rayés des vivants (1952)

a social study by Maurice Cloche, slow and excessively pessimistic.

[5/10 · 30 January 2014]

Maurice Cloche has been a director, screenwriter, producer and actor from the 1930's to the 1980's. His most well known movies are those who describe great characters from Christian charity, like Saint-Vincent De Paul in "Monsieur Vincent" written by Jean Anouilh with Pierre Fresnay. "Monsieur Vincent" received the Oscar of the best foreign language film.

In 1940, he establishes a cinema school that would become the famous Idhec.

"Rayé Des Vivants" tells the story of Pierre (Daniel Ivernel) who was a delinquent and has become a honest worker thanks to Isabelle. But Pierre gets influenced by a nasty couple (Marthe Mercadier, François Chaumette) and gets condemned for murder. When he gets out of jail, he follows an experience of readaptation with four hoodlums. These relegated will have to chose between right and wrong side of the law.

"Rayé Des Vivants" is certainly not a great title directed by Maurice Cloche : it is very slow, excessively pessimistic and quite boring. Yet some scenes show the way of life at this period, and that's a real document, especially some scenes showing the favorite village of the king Louis the fourteenth in the west suburb of Paris.

Section des disparus (1956)

Pierre Chenal adapting David Goodis in Argentina

[7/10 · 29 January 2014]

Anyone who's interested in french film noir knows Pierre Chenal filmography in crime movie : "L'Homme Sans Nom", "L'Affaire Lafarge", "La Maison Du Maltais" and of course "Le Dernier Tournant" as an authentic pre film noir from 1939 (the first version of "Postman Always Rings Twice" with fantastic Michel Simon and sensual Corinne Luchaire, cinematography by genius Christian Matras).

From 1943 to 1956, Pierre Chenal directed 8 movies in Argentina. He made a short come back to France in 1946 to direct his masterpiece, "La Foire Aux Chimères", a blend of film noir and melodrama with a complex and unreal atmosphere. And shamefully forgotten for forty years.

"Section Des Disparus" is his last Argentin movie. And it is a swell surprise : a film noir adapted from David Goodis "Of Missing Persons". Young Maurice Ronet wants to quit his elder wife (frightening Inda Ledesma, very close to Joan Crawford) for a gorgeous dancer (beautiful Nicole Maurey). Lot of twists and a superb shadowy cinematography for this unknown noir gem that really deserves restoration to appreciate the disturbing Inda Ledesma.

I Was a Prisoner on Devil's Island (1941)

another nice Lew Landers

[6/10 · 28 January 2014]

From Lew Landers, I already appreciated "Inner Sanctum", "The Power Of The Whistler", "Man In The Dark" and of course "The Cruel Tower" with a very nasty Charles Mc Graw. In his very prolific career, there must be some other nice B surprises.

Like "I Was A Prisoner On Devil's Island", rather slow in the beginning and getting faster in the middle. Very few settings of this prison, and yet the action is quite fast paced thanks to an intelligent script by Karl Brown (who was also cinematographer on other movies, that could have helped for the efficiency of this movie).

Special bravo to Eduardo Cianelli, the mysterious Doctor Satan himself. He is the nasty character of the movie, and he is so good at being so bad.

A truly entertaining prison movie for B treasures lovers.

Violated (1953)

underground psychopath

[7/10 · 21 January 2014]

Who has ever heard of the director Walter Strate?

Like directors Jack Copeland and Edmond Angelo, he is completely unknown on planet Hollywood.

"Violated" is full of weird tricks : obsessional bluesy guitar music, underground location in New-York like in "Killer's Kiss", scary story of a sexual psychopath tormenting and killing pin ups to scalp them, amateur dialog and a desperate final twist.

"Violated" is the first movie produced by William Mishkin, also screenwriter of the movie. After "Violated", he will produce sex exploitation movies but that's another story.

If you love "Dementia", jump on this one.

The Scarlet Hour (1956)

forgotten noir jewel by Michael Curtiz

[8/10 · 20 January 2014]

"The Scarlet Hour" is an outstanding surprise for noir fans : directed by Michael Curtiz in 1956, it is so rarely seen. And it deserves to be rediscovered on DVD.

Carol Ohmart uses Tom Tryon to get rid of her husband. And there are so many tricks and twists growing violently crescendo all through the movie, you get stuck on your seat. That crescendo is brilliantly enlightened by Lionel Lindon ("Quicksand"), each frame being in perfect adequacy with all the events and accidents.

Frank Tashlin is another great talent of this forgotten jewel. He is a specialist of comedies, "The Girl Can't Help It" and Jerry Lewis movies. "The Scarlet Hour" is his only participation to film noir. The second screenwriter is John Meredith Lucas, the foster son of Michael Curtiz, who had written Dark City in 1950.

"The Scarlet Hour" must be one day available on DVD.

Bodyhold (1949)

a rare Lola Albright

[6/10 · 19 January 2014]

A friend recommended me A Cold Wind In August and I discovered the sensual Lola Albright. I remembered her in Champion and Joy House. And I finally found this little B movie directed by Seymour Friedman (who had directed the interesting Chinatown At Midnight).

Well, this isn't a masterpiece, but it's an entertaining movie in the wrestling world with convincing fighting scenes, thanks to Willard Parker and his athletic silhouette in his laid back character. I don't remember having seen him in another movie, and it's a pleasure to discover this nice fellow.

The script is written by George Bricker who wrote other B crime movies such as The Mark Of The Whistler, Inside Job, Roadblock, The Whip Hand, Man In The Dark, Loophole and Cry Vengeance (directed by Mark Stevens, beloved by the same friend who recommended me A Cold Wind In August).

A Cat in Paris (2010)

animated thriller to watch in family

[8/10 · 18 January 2014]

This one is for all your family. Classic thriller caper for adults with some fine references to classic movies (waoh the allusion to Night Of The Hunter and others). And a nice cat story and big laughs for the kids, and of course, they will ask you a lot of questions for a passionate discussion.

Action, mystery, caper, violent gangsters, love story, a child in danger and many visual surprises : a cinematographic mirage.

I found Une Vie De Chat real magic, everybody smiles at the end, it doesn't cheat on. Bravo.

Yes, french cinema is still alive.

The Upper Hand (1966)

another great Gabin gangster movie

[8/10 · 18 January 2014]

I must say I haven't seen this movie for a very long time. Having a very fine souvenir, I decided to watch it again, and what a pleasure. If you like french gangster movies with our Jean Gabin, powerful slang dialogs and 60's design, this one is really for you. Without forgetting George Raft facing Gabin. And Fröbe, Bozzuffi, Ceccaldi, Brasseur, Mireille Darc (so sexy), Nadja Tiller ...

And international sequences in Japan, London, Germany.

A very special palm to Claudio Brook, very very convincing.

Indeed, a powerful french gangster movie.

As gentleman Philippe wrote, so few reviewers?

Les jeux sont faits (1947)

haunting movie, especially when you discover it as a kid

[8/10 · 18 January 2014]

I was ten when I began watching good movies. Les Jeux Sont Faits was one of them, and as a young boy, this romantic fantastic noir from 1947 impressed me deeply and forever. Except that I was too young to remember the title of the movie and the director's and actors name, ... but the story, impossible to forget, haunting me for nearly forty years.

And last week, searching in a huge video club, I finally rediscovered it. What a surprise : Jean Delannoy, Jean-Paul Sartre, Micheline Presles and the great cinematographer Christian Matras (three masterpieces with Max Ophüls and many more).

Despite a too old cassette edition, the souvenir was intact and the emotion even stronger. A real forgotten french romantic fantastic noir movie masterpiece, sadly with no DVD edition, I just don't understand.

But maybe we can think of hope with the "musée Jean Delannoy", time will tell ...

The Couch (1962)

one of the most powerful killers ever seen

[7/10 · 6 January 2014]

In 1962, Blake Edwards directed the amazing Experiment In Terror, one of his rare violent thrillers. That same year, he also wrote with his uncle Owen Crump the subject of The Couch. And the script was written by Robert Bloch between Psycho and Strait-Jacket. Owen Crump was formerly a documentary director in the army, The Couch is his first movie for cinema.

The script is really exciting, having Grant Williams killing in crowds and being more and more risky. And Grant Williams is nastily convincing.

I do agree with another reviewer, The Couch deserves better cinematography, like Jo Biroc, and maybe The Couch would have been more nervous. But we have a scary story of a powerful killer with a very strong Grant Williams. The ending is frighteningly apocalyptic.

And it is now available on DVD, so jump and catch.

But I sadly think it will remain unknown.

Borgman (2013)

a new world of manipulation and domination

[8/10 · 15 December 2013]

A very fine connoisseur recommended me this movie, and I wasn't disappointed at all. The only rule of this game of fear is sadism, but what is its purpose? That is a mystery.

There are a lot of astonishing and punchy scenes in which Borgman and his friends slowly, weirdly and sadistically manipulate their victims to dominate them until ... But the script doesn't explain anything of Borgman's motivation. I had no answers when leaving the theater.

Borgman, maybe we could call him CyBorgman. After seeing this movie, I wanted to watch a few classics I deeply love : Village Of The Damnned, The Invaders, and of course Night Of The Hunter.

And I finally found my answer.

Great cinematography and a very inventive script and direction that that offer us a tense, raw and mystical movie, far away from American blockbusters. Art of B masterpiece.

Will Borgman and his friends come back?

Adventures of the Falcon (1954– )

Charles Mc Graw as Mike Waring

[8/10 · 9 December 2013]

Anybody who loves film noir is fan of Charles Mc Graw. Of course, I began with "The Narrow Margin", "The Killers", "T-Men" and a few more Anthony Mann movies, ... And I found less known movies, "The Story Of Molly X", "Loophole", "Roadblock", "Joe Dakota"... He is crazily nasty in "The Cruel Tower".

And I wanted more Charles Mc Graw : I finally found a bunch of episodes of "The Adventures Of Falcon", I must say we are far from George Sanders or Tom Conway as the Falcon who is now recalled Mike Waring. Charles Mc Graw is tougher than ever, always ready for a strong fight. No special guest star, just Ted De Corsia in two episodes.

Hey brothers and sisters, let's pray to get one day the 39 episodes on DVD (and with rare documents).

The Road to Shame (1959)

a stunning Molinaro thriller

[8/10 · 9 December 2013]

Before his hit comedies, Molinaro began his career with interesting thrillers : his first one "Le Dos Au Mur" (you will never forget the ending, promised), his second "Des Femmes Disparaissent" (you will never forget the filthy Jane Marken and Philippe Clay as a very very bad guy, promised again), his third and first masterpiece "Un Témoin Dans La Ville" (with stunning cinematography and Lino Ventura as a very very unforgettable bad guy) and "La Mort De Belle" (his second masterpiece adapted from Simenon). "Des Femmes Disparaissent" is really exciting : two gangsters with ambiguous relations dealing young pinups in body slavery. For a movie directed in 1959, some scenes shocked me. Yes, between 1958 and 1961, Edouard Molinaro directed these fine thrillers, the last one not being available on DVD. Edouard Molinaro just left us, two weeks after George Lautner. So long, messieurs...

L'homme de Marrakech (1966)

a rare Giovanni-Deray heist movie

[5/10 · 9 December 2013]

That Man George (with the real lazy "bellâtre" George Hamilton) is an invisible movie directed by the great Jacques Deray and written by the immense José Giovanni (surprisingly also written with the actress Suzy Prim). An international production I just saw with gentleman Philippe (who wrote the very first comment on this rarity). Not a masterpiece in heist genre, but we need to see a minter print than we saw to appreciate the quite good heist sequence (that reminds me of A Cruel Gun Story, a very brilliant jewel). L'Homme De Marrakech is regrettably slowed down by far fetched dubbing. But how exciting to discover this invisible movie directed by late Jacques Deray, another great french thriller director we'll never forget. Thanx again Philippe.

Thunderhoof (1948)

a pre Karlson's "Gunman's Walk"

[7/10 · 3 July 2012]

Even though Phil Karlson is a cult film noir director, his B movies are hard to find, especially his B westerns like "Adventures in Silverado", "They Rode West", "The Texas Rangers", or "The Iroquois Trail". I saw these westerns ("The Texas Rangers" and "The Iroquois Trail" are really tough), but the early "Thunderhoof" is the most invisible one, beginning to think this western is for ever lost. Maybe my fate was never to see Preston Foster, William Bishop, Mary Stuart and the handsome horse Thunderhoof I've been admiring on stills and lobby cards from my collection. And I finally saw a 16mm print, discovering another great western by Phil Karlson. "Thunderhoof" is really a B western shot only in mountains, no town settings, with only three characters and two horses. And there is a lot of tension between these three characters, the same kind of tension we see in Karlson's western masterpiece "Gunman's Walk". And maybe this was too unusual and too mature in a 1948 western, and it could explain why it was forgotten till now. Phil Karlson's touch is there : filming on location, smart camera tricks, tough fight, horse friendship. Preston Foster and William Bishop have shot other great titles with Karlson. Today, Phil Karlson's films noirs are easy to find, I hope one day his B westerns will be also available. Tough Phil Karlson really needs complete recognition, a book on his career is still missing.