Malaria

The title is a misnomer,for the sickness does not play a prominent part in a story which consists one more time of the love triangle ;the action takes place in the tropical bush ,but it was actually filmed on the banks of the Seine ,and considering the year (1943 ,in an occupied country) was not that much bad.

A settler's wife cannot get used to the country and "would better have a backstreet in Europa";a lieutenant falls for her ,but the (native) servant spies on them and threatens to reveal the truth to his boss.This servant is probably the best thing in a conventional tale ;he is most of the time invisible,but the lovers feel his presence ,that of a ghost ,that of an avenging spirit;sometimes Gourguet-who is ignored or despised in his native France- creates an atmosphere which recalls "the letter" by the great William Wyler,relatively speaking.

Next to last movie by Mireille Balin who was in love with a German and paid it dearly after the war