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Danièle Delorme and Jean Gabin in 'Deadlier Than the Male.' Danièle Delorme movies (See previous post: “Danièle Delorme: 'Gigi' 1949 Actress Became Rare Woman Director's Muse.”) “Every actor would like to make a movie with Charles Chaplin or René Clair,” Danièle Delorme explains in the filmed interview (ca. 1960) embedded further below, adding that oftentimes it wasn't up to them to decide with whom they would get to work. Yet, although frequently beyond her control, Delorme managed to collaborate with a number of major (mostly French) filmmakers throughout her six-decade movie career. Aside from her Jacqueline Audry films discussed in the previous Danièle Delorme article, below are a few of her most notable efforts – usually playing naive-looking young women of modest means and deceptively inconspicuous sexuality, whose inner character may or may not match their external appearance. Ouvert pour cause d'inventaire (“Open for Inventory Causes,” 1946), an unreleased, no-budget comedy notable...

Love Crime (Crime D’amour)

Directed by Alain Corneau

Screenplay by Alain Corneau and Nathalie Carter

France, 2010

When two people match wits and try to outmaneuver one-another in a bit of ill-intended one-upmanship, it’s often referred to as ‘cat and mouse.’ Love Crime, the odd film that is both unexpectedly (and perhaps unintentionally) hilarious and frightening at the same time, is rather a game of ‘cat and cat.’

The first cat is Christine (Kristin Scott Thomas). Tall, elegant, and with an ambitious killer instinct, Christine ruthlessly heads a global company at the expense of anyone in her path. Cat number two is Isabelle Guérin (Ludivine Sagnier). Christine’s right-hand-woman, Isabelle, is tightly wound (“Let your hair down,” Christine tells her), dedicated to Christine, and whip-smart.

Falling between them is Philippe (Patrick Mille), whose company holds accounts with Christine’s. Both women sleep with Philippe within the first fifteen minutes of Love Crime and,...