Sua Excia. o Réu

David Talbot (William Powell) is in the diplomatic corps of France about to be named ambassador to Brazil. He has recently married a beautiful woman (Hedy Lamarr as Lucienne), and did I mention he has no memory of his life prior to 13 years ago (present day is 1935) when he was badly injured in a train wreck? He has attempted to find out his history, but he hit nothing but dead ends and eventually gave up trying.

Then one day he gets a note demanding one million francs to be left at a specified drop point or else he will reveal Talbot's identity to the police as a "welcher"? Was this ever actually a crime in France? Our prisons would be full in America if that were a crime here. Talbot alerts the police, cooperates, and the blackmailer is caught. At the trial the accused says that Talbot is in fact career thief Jean Pelletier. Also at the trial a woman (Claire Trevor as Michelle) swoons when she sees him, recognizing him from years ago. But another witness steps forward (Basil Rathbone as Sarrou) who says that said Jean Peltier died years ago, that he was present at his death, and that he confessed his many crimes before he died. The blackmailer is convicted and gets a year.

But it turns out that Sarrou was lying and he tells Talbot that he actually is Pelletier and that he is also a murderer in a robbery that netted two million francs. Sarrou now wants half the loot from that robbery as he was also one of the robbers. Talbot at first dismisses this claim, but as both Michelle and Sarrou slowly bring forth evidence indicating that he could be this horrible person, he begins to wonder, and worse he is hiding this entire situation from his wife.

The problem watching this today is that there are far too many scammers in this internet age to not figure out what is going on almost immediately. And there are a few plot holes which I will leave to you to see for yourself. This is a well done film though, with good acting by all involved. It's too bad Hedy Lamarr isn't given more to do than just look beautful and be supportive.

An interesting aside - Of course most classic film fans know that Basil Rathbone played Sherlock Holmes in a series of films in the 1930s and 1940s. You may not know that William Powell's first film role was in the 1922 silent version of Sherlock Holmes with John Barrymore in the title role. An interesting "crossroads" indeed.

This is a good, keep-you-guessing mystery. William Powell plays a man who doesn't remember anything of his life beyond 13 years ago. Circumstances begin to make him doubt himself and wonder what he had done before an accident caused him to have amnesia. He is very much in love with his wife (the beautiful Hedy Lamarr), and it is riveting to watch his self-assurance crumble as clues begin to reveal a possible shady past. Also starring Claire Trevor and Basil Rathbone. Good movie, especially if you are a William Powell ("The Thin Man") and/or Hedy Lamarr fan.

I was drawn to this by the presence in the cast of William Powell, an actor whose graceful charm always lent class to any movie he appeared in. His work in this surprisingly good story of mystery and blackmail, lives up to expectations. The plot manages to surprise one throughout and keeps one's interest going right to the end. Good script, good direction, and a nice setting in 1920's France. Basil Rathbone turns in a nice bit as a villainous character from the past. Worth seeing.

Enjoyed viewing this film on late night television starring William Powell, (David Talbot) a very successful man working for the French Government and happily married to a very beautiful woman named Lucienne Talbot, (Hedy Lamarr). Every thing is going great for this couple until David has an accident and develops amnesia and cannot remember a period of his life for 13 years. Henri Sarrou, (Basil Rathbone) meets up with David Talbot and blackmail's him for a crime he committed under the name of Jean Pelletier several years ago. Henri also has a woman named Michelle Allaine, (Claire Trevor) who also confirms that David is guilt of this crime and seeks thousands of dollars to keep everything quite. This is a great mystery story starring great classic veteran actors.

I don't think that's redundant. Think of how many mysteries in which the culprit/villain/murderer is known from the beginning of the film (for instance, "Sleuth"). Those are 'cat-and-mouse' stories, and it's a matter of time before the perp is found out.

"Crossroads", however, remains mysterious until the very end, and the mystery deepens as the film unfolds. William Powell, at his urbane best, is the amnesia victim who may or may not have been a criminal before his accident. Hedy LaMarr is his devoted wife and is gorgeous but with little else to do. Basil Rathbone is in one of his patented Loathsome Villain roles and gives the picture the rating I gave it.

The picture is extremely well written and holds the interest throughout its 84 minutes, which in this case fly by - no chance to check your watch in this one. Don't know if it was an 'A' or a 'B' at the time, but "Crossroads" is one of the best unheralded movies ever made.