Engel in Schwarz

This is a film you either love or hate. The plot is well constructed, the acting solid, even outstanding in parts (particularly the interview between Paul Delorme and Mme Pitot), the dialogue believable. Where it strains is in the odd surrealist fades, which leave the viewer confused for long moments until he figures out what is going on. The screenplay leaves untied a lot of loose ends that the book cleared up rather nicely, but in the 95 minutes available this is not too surprising. What is surprising, given the complexity of the plot and sub-plots, is how well the characters get developed in such a short film, especially some of the minor characters with little on-screen time. Michel Piccoli and Sylvie Vartan deliver sterling performances, and Mlle Vartan clearly demonstrates that she is not just another pretty face trying to change careers, but a consummate actress with great dramatic ability.

In common with too many French films, the soundtrack is poor quality (the interiors of French buildings tend to be large echo chambers, and this is never corrected in the postproduction sound processing), which probably won't bother an English speaking viewer too greatly, but makes following the unsubtitled version difficult, even for a native French speaker.

I love Michel Piccoli and that's the only reason for watching this movie, but I was tempted to turn off my player on several occasions. To sum it up: simplistic unbelievable story, amateurish direction and wooden acting. It is slow, boring and predictable. The film is full of foolishness, illogical and stupid actions, absolutely impossible behaviors and dialogues of real people. Degradation of French cinematography and a waste of Michel Piccoli's great talent.

It was a surprise for me to discover Jean-Claude Brisseau as a crime drama maker, he who mostly made dramas, pure dramas and rather low budget ones. Here, the cast proves a bigger envelope in the choices of actors: Michel Piccoli, Tcheky Karyo and a surprising Sylvie Vartan who, before this movie, made mainly crap comedies. Here, she proves that she could match any Hollywood femmes fatales in the line of Barbara Stanwyck or Lizabeth Scott, but due proportion being observed. I like this drama, mainly because of Sylvie Vartan's performance. It was released in movie theaters but still looks like a TV feature and certainly not destined to prime time audiences. Brisseau's trademark in many scenes, erotic, nude sequences.

L'Ange Noir grabbed my interest right from the start and had me glued to my couch until the very end. The version I watched was French spoken with English subtitles.

Everything a French film has to offer was in this. Interesting and attractive characters, mystery from start to finish, and a few twists and turns thrown in along the way. One of the things I enjoy about foreign films is how I'm introduced to different actors and actresses that I've never seen before. This movie had that as well.

Of course, we also didn't get the usual cliched Hollywood ending. I highly recommend this movie; you won't be disappointed.