Qui?

I suppose that previous year LA PISCINE more or less inspired this topic. Not the same story, nor atmosphere, but however a very interesting analyze of characters between whom the relationship is more than ambiguous, that's the least we can say. It is complex, hard to follow in the last part - not the first-, but I guess it was written in that purpose. Flawless cast, good directing, typical of this period. I would say it is an intellectual thriller. It is riveting though, never boring, not too long, so you can try to watch it. If you liked LA PISCINE with the same leads, but without Delon, you should like this one, maybe not as much as Jacques Deray's film. Excellent ending twists, as in ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS eighties series.... Not the fifties and sixties one. Also a perfume of PLEIN SOLEIL atmosphere in this feature.

Something really quite different here and although it is rather far fetched, it is nevertheless rather beguiling and I enjoyed it anyway. I also enjoyed it despite the soundtrack and naff songs, although I notice some really liked what I would dismiss as typical French pop songs of the period. Well photographed, this almost had a arty look to it at times and if this look is not sustained there is plenty that is good. The cliff top scenes at the start, some city shop window reflections and of course 'the accident' are all very well shot. Some of the interiors are a bit wordy (a French habit) and whilst there are some nice costumes, nothing as ravishing as if this had been an entirely Italian production. And, I can resist no more, Romy Schneider is lovely and carries out her difficult and rather complex role very well indeed. As I say all a bit silly but, bright, colourful and ever engaging.

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.

Frankly I doubt Schneider herself said that this movie "set the tone for her future roles".If such was the case,what a poor taste she used to have.Actually,it was rather "la piscine" made the year before,that boosted her career that was on the wane after the Sissi saga (forever my love).

Romy Schneider teamed up again with Maurice Ronet (who was in "la piscine" too),but this time with laughable results.Leonard Keigel,the director ,wrote a screenplay in which the paucity of the ideas is so glaring that only a member of the audience who has never seen a Hitch ,Chabrol ou Clouzot movie could enjoy this poor would - be suspense thriller.Keigel hired Chabrol's dialogue writer,Paul Guégauff:probably horrified by the emptiness of the story,he made up for it with a lot of swear-words.

I wonder why talented actors like Ronet and Schneider agreed to make such a bomb;besides,the supporting actors do not "support" at all:Keigel's wife ,Simone Bach and Gabriele Tinti,sink into utterly ridiculous ham. The songs ,in English ("who are you" ) sung by a Dutch band ,Wallace Collection ,would nicely fit in a commercial for Martini.The critical reception was so disagreeable in France at the time ("a film made of brics,bracs and thingummies") that Keigel was not to made another movie before 1977.And it was his last one.

Leonard Keigel made a few movies, and everyone must be grateful about this. The movie QUI ? Is probably his best, so we can't say that he had many things to give. Nevertheless he was co-founder of Cahiers de Cinema, so he managed to sit on director's seat a few times and have some fun. He was only having fun, nothing else.

It is rather difficult to judge this movie. There is nothing to be judged. The plot is trivial, the actors just say their words, the director doesn't do anything. His target is to create a film in the style of Chabrol and Clouzot, but he only manages to create a very-very long commercial.

Don't watch this movie. It's terrible !