Cast
What it is about
A photographer is found murdered, and Pierre, the ex-husband of a woman who asks for his help, offers her a false alibi to shield her. However, the crime seems to have more to do with the victim's blackmail of a member of the wealthy Kellerman family, Pierre's father-in-law, than with her. The story unfolds around the lies each character tells to protect their own position.
How it was made
Directed and written by Jean Delannoy, this French-Italian co-production adapts the 1955 novel The Man With Two Wives, published under the pen name Patrick Quentin by the British-born writer Hugh Wheeler. Shooting took place at the Billancourt Studios in Paris, with sets designed by Lucien Aguettand. Annie Girardot, Andréa Parisy and Odile Versois lead the cast, while George Sanders appears in a brief but significant role.
Reception and legacy
It is a classic mystery thriller that relies more on its criminal plot than on visual spectacle. The sources available offer little information about its critical and commercial reception, so its place in French film history should be considered with caution, as a genre work within Delannoy's filmography.
Trivia
Literary origin
The film is based on a 1955 novel, The Man With Two Wives, published under the pen name Patrick Quentin by Hugh Wheeler, a British-born writer.
Sanders in a brief role
Despite his limited screen time, George Sanders plays J.K. Kellermann, a key figure in the plot.
More films by Jean Delannoy
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Maigret Sets a Trap
The Eternal Return
Action Man
Maigret and the Saint-Fiacre CaseOriginal Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.