Le bonheur

In 1898,Empress Elisabeth from Austria was murdered in Switzerland:the man who killed her was an anarchist and he chose her because the man he wanted to slay was not around... for lack of anything better.

"Le bonheur" is a disturbing modern movie particularly for Marcel L'Herbier whose movies of that era("la Porte du Large" "les Hommes Nouveaux""Entente Cordiale" ) are generally obsolete stuff.

A man (Boyer)tries to kill a singer (Gaby Morlay).First we do not know anything about this man ,except that he sketches people for a newspaper.He lives alone and a girl tries to seduce him.

Then a very strange trial begins.Boyer gives a stunning performance,with his empty look and his absolute indifference.An anarchist,an antisocial man but an educated one (he's got a law degree) his motives seem to elude the viewer.The story is very complex ,including something recalling the 1898 assassination (I chose her because my political target was not available), a song the criminal heard her victim sing (called "le bonheur" =happiness).

After a while, a strange relationship has developed between them.He's only got an eighteen-month sentence ,her marriage is on the rocks and it seems that the day he's released something new can begin..

The second part is even more modern than the first one .The producers try to capitalize on the "event" and they make a movie out of it!The "hero" relives his past...

Michel Simon appears as a gay artistic director.