Die Geliebte des Anderen

One of Ms. Schneider's early works where she was trying to shake off the 'Sissi'-Image. Here we can see her (great as usual) as the somewhat troubled girlfriend of a man probably killed in a car crash as she tries to support his brother finding out what really happened. But strange things begin to happen and she feels like being hunted by a ghost.

The really good cast down to the supporting roles combined with the great and very suspenseful direction, a really good 60s score and the original and atmospheric script make a French thriller (actually, it's a French-Italian co-production) more interesting than lot of its counterparts from Hollywood. OK, the script tries sometimes a little bit too heavy to create a sense of overwhelming doom or anxiety surrounding Ms. Schneider's character (in her presence and in the things happening to her), on the other hand that low-key suspense is what makes the movie so effective. The main part seems to be just written for Ms. Schneider as she as usual does such a splendid job.

Any admirer of Ms. Schneider's talent shouldn't miss this movie. And any admirer of good (60s/70s) thrillers shouldn't miss this rare movie, either! I think it should really get a release on DVD. The score by none other than Claude Bolling would along with the songs be also great to have on CD.

An abusive boyfriend is killed when his car crashes off a cliff into the sea. His girlfriend escapes death and comes under suspicion. She and the man's brother then begin a romance of sorts.

As others have pointed out this feels like a Claude Chabrol movie without the depth. It's a mystery-thriller but in truth its story is none-too-interesting. What keeps it from being truly mediocre are the occasional moments of the bizarre, some nice photography and a groovy Euro score by Claude Bolling. It's definitely a case of style over substance though, as there really isn't anything too much going on under these surface details. The story itself is as unrealistic as a giallo with some clear absurdities such as the dead body found in the sea that fools everyone into thinking its someone else's body. But it doesn't really have a giallo's sense of purpose or excitement. It's much more self-consciously arty and once the thriller part of the narrative finally kicks into gear the film ends very suddenly.

It's a strange movie though and one that would no doubt benefit from a repeat viewing. Very much a minor film but stylish and odd enough to be given some credit.

French director Leonard Keigel tries the giallo in this Italian coproduction bearing the evocative title The Corpse with the claws of steel, staring a swell couple of French and Italian actors. Marina (Romy Schneider, La Piscine), an Austrian young woman, has a violent quarrel with her boyfriend Claude (Gabriele Tinti, La Morte risale a ieri sera) during their holidays in Brittany. Claude driving their Alfa Romeo throws it down from a cliff and she has just the time to jump out, while Claude's body disappears into the sea.

A shocked Marina is looked after in Paris by Claude's distant brother Serge (Maurice Ronet, La Femme écarlate), who is divorced from Dorothée (Simone Bach, La Dame de pique, from the same), and they are not long to fall in love together. But may in fact Marina have killed Claude? Is she actually totally sound of mind? And is Claude after all really dead? As the usual police does nothing serious to clear the mystery, Serge leads his inquiry to lighten the darkness of the case and chase all the nightmares. Should Marina, rather mysterious and unsettling, be one of these wicked and disturbed giallo heroins, like in Senza sapere niente di lei? Shall Serge be the victim of a dangerous mantis like in Col cuore in gola?

If Keigel properly knows the codes of the genre (the plane landing, the spiral staircase, the mannequins, the bloody knife, the pursuit on the rooftop...), and sets them correctly, mixed with some Nouvelle Vague features, in a rather interesting and somehow visionary way, he lacks however of the adequate skill to put right the different elements together and build a cohesive story until its end. The admirers of the actors will nevertheless be able to appreciate the film. (Viewed in French 1h18 version.)

A well made and adequate French thriller- many of the stylistic choices have me thinking of this one as a 'proto-giallo' of sorts, especially the camera work and amazing score. It can drag a bit but the chase scene in the latter half is well worth the wait. I haven't seen one quite this visually engaging since Lizard in a Woman's Skin. Gorgeous sets, sharp camera work, an engaging, psychedelic score, and of course, the beauty of the lead, all work in this one's favour. What works against it is the thin story-line and the clumsy dialogue- both things to be expected from early foreign thrillers such as this and therefore easy to overlook. The ending is rather good but almost feels tacked on. I wish they had done more to lead up to it during the film. Overall, this tended to get better throughout, starting off weak and slowly getting stronger. Great find for fans of foreign thrillers and giallo enthusiasts in particular.

This Thriller is really wonderful because of its good photography, original story, suspense and the really groovy 60s music. For all people who think Romy Schneider only did strange boring melodramas like Sissy the movies she made in France are something they should see. Her acting as a mysterious and dazzling woman is excellent, you can not take your eyes of her when she is on the screen. As she said herself, this role set the tone for her future roles. Don't miss this masterpiece!