Le sang à la tête

Based on a novel by Georges Simenon, this movie belongs to three different genres; drama,romance and thriller.It is said to be Audiard's( the guy who wrote the lines) favorite movie he worked on.As many movies written by Michel Audiard,half the interest comes from these lines from a man who knew like no one else to embed the wittiness and the aptness altogether in memorable phrases and sentences. The directing is restrained like many movies of Gilles Grangier,without any flaw or stroke of genius. Jean Gabin performs in a stark and impressing way, helped by a great cast of second fiddles, bandying the lines of Michel Audiard for our jubilation,as always.

How many Simenon's detective stories were adapted for the screen?It has become impossible to tell.This Gilles Grangier effort is acceptable if not particularly memorable stuff.

A nouveau riche ,(Gabin)who climbed the career ladder, is owning now the whole harbor of "La Rochelle" as people say.He struggled all his life to be king ,but it does not prevent his wife (Melinand) to leave him for a younger man.In search of the unfaithful wife,Gabin discovers a lot of things about himself.

That said,and because the screenplay is unspectacular ,it does not compare favorably with Simenon's great adaptations (Duvivier's "panique" ,Delannoy's "Maigret tend un piège" and even Molinaro's "la mort de Belle").

The ferryboat,which used to link La Rochelle and the île de Ré is now a thing of the past.They built a bridge.

Tension is underlying this movie where many a form of hatred are at work.

This a Gabin's vehicle, again directed by Gilles Grangier, one of those more than decent films they made together in the 50's, with nothing of the self-indulgence that would hamper their association in the 60's.

The job is very entertaining, until the end. And, naturally, well crafted. La Rochelle is beautifully and thoroughly depicted here.

Please note the astounding performance of Georgette Anys as "Titine Babin". You may remember her as little more than a silhouette, for instance in two great Duvivier's works, "Sous le ciel de Paris" and "La fête à Henriette". In "Le sang à la tête", she has a part to play, a real one though short, and Mme Anys can inhabit it with an impressive strength.

The working relationship between Jean Gabin and Gilles Grangier resulted in no less than twelve films. Those of the sixties are nothing much to write home about but some of their fifties' collaborations are of great interest, notably 'Désordre de la Nuit' and this 'loose' adaptation by Michel Audiard of Georges Simenon's 'Le Fils Cardinaud'.

What does any self-respecting wife do when taken for granted by her spouse? Why, she runs off with a younger man of course! Faced with this dilemma the Cardinaud of Jean Gabin sets out to bring her back but soon realises that he can expect neither sympathy nor assistance from anyone........

One can fully understand why this vehicle would appeal to Monsieur Gabin. He had captured the public's imagination as the ordinary bloke pursued by implacable Fate but from 'Touchez-pas au Grisbi' onwards he joined the ranks of the well-heeled. The character of Cardinaud is of humble origins and has succeeded through sheer hard graft in becoming a wealthy shipowner, thereby attracting the customary envy and resentment. Like so many fine film actors Gabin is fundamentally a 'behaviourist' who plays various aspects of himself. Here he is spot on as one who 'does what he has to do, all alone'. This is decidedly one of his best performances.

Good support here from Renée Faure as the housekeeper who hopes to fill the void left by his wife's absence, Paul Frankeur as a distinctly unpleasant cargo boat captain and Claude Sylvain as the local tart.

As usual with this director there is a great sense of 'being there' and the seaport of La Rochelle as shot by André Thomas adds immeasurably to the films sombre mood. This is one of six Simenon adaptations by Michel Audiard and here the dialogue is suitably vitriolic. Excellent score by Henri Verdun.

Is Cardinaud reunited with his wife? Ah, that would be telling!

A film about life. with its basic ingrediends - from mariage to succes , end of relation and the chain of questions to the good work of Jean Gabin and admirable performance of Georgette Anys. yes, it is not a great movie. but it is a good one, well crafted, using beautiful locations , the right atmosphere and the science of Gabin to propose the right traits of his character . short, a decent story, mixing few pieces of different genres and proposing a smart dialogue. so, a real good film.