Der Engel, der ein Teufel war

This Duvivier gem is the definitive proof that the FRench cinema was not moribund in the late fifties.Julien Duvivier,the master of the film noir French style ("Pepe le Moko" was a strong influence on the American film noir),outdoes himself and gives his last masterpiece ."Voici le temps des assassins " outdistances all former works ,it's really the apex of evil.

Danielle Delorme 's character is one of the most perverse you can see on a screen:she almost makes us forget Jean Simmons in "Angel Face" .This girl is perversity flesh on the bone.Is she a victim (of her education? her sad background?)Delorme told in an interview that her part was "much too much",that she probably had excuses,that she probably suffered during her childhood: terse answer by the director:"evil people are evil,period." Duvivier's world is thoroughly noir:the three old women who are featured in the movie are evil too.

Germaine Kerjean's character is even more terrifying than the false ingenue :not only she probably broke her son's marriage (Gabin) but she has also continued to dominate him.When Gabin introduces her to Catherine,she simply says with a threatening smile :"she has a chilling way about her" ;actually this reply turns the audience 's heart into ice.this old shrew is sadistic to a fault:you should see her behead her chickens in her guinguette (cafe where you dance on the banks of the Seine)!You should see her thrash her daughter-in-law,yelling,when the whip comes down :"that will knock you into shape!!" Catherine's mother(Lucienne Bogaert) is a slut,the ugliest woman you have ever met,destroyed by alcohol and drugs .She epitomizes decay.She urges her daughter to kill her husband -who was also his twenty years ago-,and the way she plans the murder,lavishly detailed ,makes your flesh creep.

And there is Gabin's housekeeper (Gabrielle Fontan),a hypocrite spinster who never found love and thus is jealous of Catherine,who is young and beautiful.she moves in the house like a snake ,always on the look-out for some gossips about Catherine,the intruder.

The action takes place in three places: 1)Gabin's restaurant in Les Halles,now a thing of the past,where the scenarists take a slap at the Americans -who are far from being gourmets- and the dogs (there's humor in this somber story).

2)Catherine's junkie mother's room ,in a seedy house near decay,where she spins her web.

3)Her mother-in-law's guinguette,turned into a living hell by the owner.

The characters move from one place to another,as an almost unbearable tension rises and takes all the characters in a bloody violent final by the misty banks of a glittering Seine.

This movie contains scenes that will leave you at the edge of your seat,even 50 years after:Kerjean,whipping with an intense pleasure;Gerard's (Gerard Blain) murder in the night down by the Seine;His dog,barking at a scared to death Catherine.Sincerely,I've seen lots and lots of FRench movies,but few (if any) come close to this one when it comes to depicting wickedness ,greed and perversity.

Once dismissed as "pre nouvelle vague trash" "voici le temps des assassins -looked upon as a masterpiece by Bertrand Tavernier,one of the masters of the contemporary French cinema - has since been restored to favor by a whole generation of viewers (its IMDb rating is currently 7,6!Thanks to the users!)and critics (Jacques Lourcelles notably).

Claude Chabrol and Bertrand Tavernier love this film.

Watch "Voici le temps des assassins" at all costs!!!!

No, I can't believe that this film only get 3 users reviews, 419 voters, and not even one topic on its message board! It is one of the four immortal masterpieces —along with "Pépé le Moko", "La fin du jour" and "Panique"— of an immortal master, Julien Duvivier.

All in there is at the very top (and even the over-the-top is at the top!).

A clockwork scenario, the sharp dialogues, a cinematography like they knew how to make. And the best own's performances for Jean Gabin, Danièle Delorme, Lucienne Bogaert.

See it! Watch Duvivier's movies! Vive le cinéma!

Didier_fort at hotmail.com

After a long dark winter Jean Gabin comeback to work with Duvivier in this heavy Noir, a divorced Restaurant's owner living in a prosperous life in his high class business, when suddenly appears young daughter of his former wife, Gabin has a young friend who are in final medicine study to be a Doctor, Gabin suggest that both could be a lovely romantic pair, but the young woman will slowly manipulating all situation for your own benefit, seen that Gabin likes too much the prouder student, she acts on both sides, the monster show his sharp claws, so many lies, misleading and finally trying to murder, the heavy atmosphere caught everybody with so madness from this Angel face, the picture always was rejected by the moviegoers, somehow had many best reviews including from Truffaut and others, then the picture will survives and quickly became in a classic from Duvivier-Gabin, a near masterpiece in an old Paris Market, a little bit heavy for some taste, the narrow streets, old decaying area supply an perfect environment to develop such intricate story, just Noir genre allowed it to us!!

Resume:

First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 9.25

Only 6 reviews for that pure Masterpiece of French Film Noir, direct in my top 5 ("Les Diaboliques" have 160 reviews and "Non Coupable" has only 2 reviews (?)(another pure masterpiece of French Film Noir with Michel Simon at his best, in my top 5 of course). Everything has been said by other bright reviewers, I just confirm you cannot forget that sick darkness of the characters. Impossible, printed forever in your mind.

This opens in stunning fashion, with amazing panning shots of Paris' Les Halles in full and glorious flow in the 50s. Parisians must look now at London's Covent Garden development and wonder just what they did to their own central market. Back on screen, the fine sequences continue inside Jean Gabin's busy and successful restaurant, with great movement and sense of excitement. Both Gabin and Daniele Delorme are most effective as the narrative develops but it is a familiar tale and Delorme is only too convincing in her role to deceive just about everyone, seemingly for love but in reality, of course, for dosh. a surprising whipping scene and some scenes of real tension towards the end but this is french and overlong without too many surprises.