This could hardly be ranked as a classic of French cinema but director Yves Ciampi has the services of master cinematographer Henri Alekan and top notch leading players.
Surly Yves Montand falls for sultry Maria Felix and who could blame him!
He agrees to sell stolen diamonds to the ever-so-charming Curt Jurgens but their scheme is scuppered by crackpot Jean Servais who is obsessed with Maria......
Herr Jurgen's performance won him a Volpi Cup, for which he tied with Kenneth More. Also featured is Gert Frobe who, like Jurgens, was to have the distinction, if one can call it that, of playing a Bond villain. The film really belongs to Servais whose manic performance is mesmerising. Five years later, in Bunuel's 'Fever mounts in El Pao', he was again to lust after La Dona Maria. This is one of three French films that this fascinating female made at about this time, the best of which is indisputably Renoir's 'French Can-Can'.
What can one possibly say about Monsieur Montand? His early experiences in front of the camera were not entirely happy but with maturity he became one of France's finest. His performance as Mario in Clouzot's 'Wages of Fear' made him an obvious choice here.
Suffice to say Yves Ciampi is not in the same league as the three directors mentioned above but he does his best with the material at his disposal and the film gradually builds in tension and momentum, climaxing in an exciting scene in a swamp(where else!)
The final shot of Montand and Jurgens emerging from the swamp to the accompaniment of Beethoven's Fifth is inspired and obviously designed to reflect Franco-German rapprochement.
Surly Yves Montand falls for sultry Maria Felix and who could blame him!
He agrees to sell stolen diamonds to the ever-so-charming Curt Jurgens but their scheme is scuppered by crackpot Jean Servais who is obsessed with Maria......
Herr Jurgen's performance won him a Volpi Cup, for which he tied with Kenneth More. Also featured is Gert Frobe who, like Jurgens, was to have the distinction, if one can call it that, of playing a Bond villain. The film really belongs to Servais whose manic performance is mesmerising. Five years later, in Bunuel's 'Fever mounts in El Pao', he was again to lust after La Dona Maria. This is one of three French films that this fascinating female made at about this time, the best of which is indisputably Renoir's 'French Can-Can'.
What can one possibly say about Monsieur Montand? His early experiences in front of the camera were not entirely happy but with maturity he became one of France's finest. His performance as Mario in Clouzot's 'Wages of Fear' made him an obvious choice here.
Suffice to say Yves Ciampi is not in the same league as the three directors mentioned above but he does his best with the material at his disposal and the film gradually builds in tension and momentum, climaxing in an exciting scene in a swamp(where else!)
The final shot of Montand and Jurgens emerging from the swamp to the accompaniment of Beethoven's Fifth is inspired and obviously designed to reflect Franco-German rapprochement.