Coartada del silencio

A hard-working little photographer, Henry Barbier meets Barbara, an "old friend of ten years" to whom he agrees to do a favor, the villainous nature of which he quickly understands. Barbara, who has become the very rich wife of the shipowner Yanakos, has planned, in agreement with her daughter-in-law Odette, a young emancipated woman with a provocative style, to simulate the theft of her own jewels. Henry will participate in the scheme and will receive a large sum. On his guard, Henry has recorded on magnetic tape the detailed account of this scam that Barbara has just set up. Odette therefore hands over the jewels to Henry that very evening...

Jean-Charles Dudrumet made a handful of mediocre thrillers including"la corde raide " dealing with the hackneyed love triangle and secret agent (2 episodes)Stanislas ,one of Jean Marais's poorest parts This one is entertaining if very derivative; the supporting casr including Magali Noel as the femme fatale ,Daniel Ceccadi and Pierre Mondy, is up to scratch ;Felix Martens, essentially a singer whose career was short-lived ,is just OK .

Adapted from Hadley Chase, the lines do not lack humor ,sometimes black ; the scenes by the Seine in the dark night are not bad ; when the hero photographs people on the street ,he comes across celebrities : Dany Saval and Bourvil himself. The charm of the sixties in black and white ,with its pinballs ,its record-players and its EPs.