The Killer (1963)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The killer |
| Original title | Le Meurtrier |
| Country of production |
France , Germany , Italy |
| original language | French |
| Publishing year | 1963 |
| length | 104 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Claude Autant-Lara |
| script |
Jean Aurenche , Pierre Bost |
| production | Alexander Grueter |
| music | René Cloërec |
| camera | Jacques Natteau |
| cut | Madeleine Gug |
| occupation | |
| |
The murderer (original title: Le Meurtrier) is a black and white detective film that premiered on January 11, 1963. Claude Autant-Lara directed the Franco-German-Italian co-production . The film is based on the American novel The Blunderer by Patricia Highsmith , published in Germany under the title Der Stümper .
action
The architect Walter Saccard has long had the idea of divorcing his contentious and suicidal wife. But since this is strictly against it, he is considering getting rid of it in another way. The current murder case of Helen Kimmel should serve as a model. The newspapers report that suspicions against her husband Melchior Kimmel had to be dropped because he could produce an alibi. Saccard still thinks he is the murderer and visits the fresh widower in his bookstore in the hope of receiving suggestions.
Laura Saccard was found dead in a ravine a few days later. It cannot be determined whether it was murder, an accident or suicide. Inspector Corby from the criminal investigation department sees parallels between the Kimmel and Saccard cases, and finds corresponding newspaper articles from Saccards in Laura's travel literature. He suspects an act of copying. Not only does Saccard himself fall into the crosshairs of the investigation, but Kimmel is again suspected of having killed his own wife.
To get revenge on Saccard, who has brought his case back to the surface, Kimmel begins to spin an intrigue against Saccard. In an interview with journalists, he gives Saccard's alleged confession. In his haunting, illustrious story, he inadvertently includes a detail from the crime scene of his own wife. So at least he is convicted as a murderer, but Kimmel can initially flee. He stabs his opponent Saccard to death at a concert and is then arrested.
background
The thriller, which also bears the German alternative title Der Schatten der Laura S. , was shot in Nice and Menton . In one of the last scenes, the stairs to the Saint-Michel church at the port of Menton are unmistakably recognizable.
The original name of Walter's wife is Clara .
criticism
“The fact that Saccard is considered innocent of his wife's death in the eyes of the police because he convicted another murderer is naive as well as outdated thinking and on this point just one of the many moments and thoughts that leave [the film] behind in the time it was made . [...] For the time, 'The Murderer' was told in a progressive manner with the above-mentioned blurring of good and bad and also with its malicious, perhaps even self-righteous ending. And the dynamic that the story ignites after a detailed introduction [...] [...] is so effective that one likes to take away one's modern view and watch the film again as naively as it once was. "
“Psychologically over-bred crime film with a somewhat lengthy design. Objections to the crude police methods also apply to the demonstration in front of adults. "
Web links
- The killer in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The killer in the synchronous database
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b The murderer. In: Zelluloid.de. Archived from the original on August 26, 2018 ; accessed on August 26, 2018 .
- ↑ The murderer on Filmportal.de
- ↑ a b Schlombie's movie reviews
- ↑ Evangelischer Presseverband München, Review No. 112/1963