The murderer lives at number 21
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The murderer lives at number 21 |
| Original title | L'assassin habite au 21 |
| Country of production | France |
| original language | French |
| Publishing year | 1942 |
| length | 84 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Henri-Georges Clouzot |
| script | Henri-Georges Clouzot Stanislas-André Steeman |
| production | Alfred Greven |
| music | Maurice Yvain |
| camera | Armand Thirard |
| cut | Christian Gaudin |
| occupation | |
and Yves Montand , Henri Vilbert , Daniel Gélin | |
The murderer lives no. 21 is a French film noir from 1942. Directed by the debutant Henri-Georges Clouzot , Pierre Fresnay played the leading role of the investigating police commissioner. The film is based on the novel of the same name " L'assassin habite au 21 " (1939) by the Belgian Stanislas-André Steeman .
action
A serial killer worries citizens in Paris's Montmartre district. All the bloody acts have one thing in common: the dead always have a business card with the name Durand on it. Now - as the fifth victim - it has hit Clochard Alfred, who has made his fortune thanks to a lottery win. Police inspector Wenceslas Vorobietchik, whom everyone calls “Wens” for the sake of simplicity, does not get on with the matter. Only when a little crook behaves conspicuously by showing some of these business cards does he think he has a hot lead. Since these business cards were found in house number 21, a small boarding house, the police investigator rents a room there under the guise of a priest.
Strange characters frequent the guesthouse - there are, for example, the fakir Lalah-Poor, the craftsman Collin, the weird Dr. Linz as well as the prevented writer Mademoiselle Cuq, who has never published anything - and one or the other behaves in a highly suspicious manner. But every time Wens believes he has found the perpetrator, the killer strikes again, and another Durand business card is found at the scene. It takes a long time for Inspector Wens to discover the story's highlight: There isn't just one murderer, there are three! Every time an arrest is pending because Wens believes he has finally caught the perpetrator, another of the murder trio strikes again and thus provides the suspect with an alibi.
Production notes
The murderer lives no. 21 celebrated its world premiere on August 7, 1942. In Germany, the film opened the following year.
Andrei Andreyev created the film structures.
The young actors Yves Montand and Daniel Gélin made one of their first appearances in front of the camera.
useful information
The murderer lives no.21 is considered an early masterpiece by the thriller specialist Clouzot ( The Raven , Wages of Fear , The Devilish ) and at the same time one of the outstanding productions of the German-financed production company Continental Films , whose boss and gray eminence Alfred Greven 1940 / 41 was able to recruit some of the best French directors who remained in the country for his company.
Reviews
“Clouzot's first feature film tells this murder affair with ingenuity and humor. Especially the bizarre boarders are carefully observed. (...) Various critics have interpreted the film politically: In their opinion, "Durand" stands for Hitler, who also served as a figurehead for a murder syndicate. "
In the lexicon of international films it says: "Henri-Georges Clouzot's first directorial work already shows the fascinating ability to narrate cinematically, to develop a dramaturgy, to outsmart the viewer and to cast a spell with the control of the elements of tension."
"With ... the mysterious crime film" The murderer lives no. 21 ", the director has already succeeded in creating a staging masterpiece, excellent in the leadership, exciting in structure."
Individual evidence
- ↑ The murderer lives No. 21. In: Lexicon of international films . Film service , accessed December 24, 2018 .
Web links
- The killer lives no. 21 in the Internet Movie Database (English)