Summary
Pierre is on the run from the police, having murdered his lover. He arrives in the
Italian port of Genoa where, leaving the safety of his hideaway on a boat, he tries to
find a dentist, only to have his money stolen. He meets Marta, a young woman with
a teenage girl, who has separated with her crooked husband. Having fallen in love
with Pierre, Marta hides him from the police and insists that she accompany him on his
new life. Unfortunately fate has other ideas...
Review
Au-delà des grilles was an early international success for René Clément,
who had previously distinguished himself in his native France with La
Bataille du rail (1946), and who would achieve further success with films such
as Jeux interdits (1951), Gervaise (1956) and Plein
Soleil (1960). The film won an Oscar in the Best Foreign Film category in
1950, and also won awards for the best director and best lead actress at Cannes in 1949.
Au-delà des grilles is less memorable
than many of Clément’s other films, and it is certainly not his best work.
The film appears to combine the poetic realism of the late 1930s with the emerging trend
towards neo-realism, which would become more noticeable in Italian cinema in the following
decade. Unfortunately, whilst the film has its strengths (atmospheric cinematography
and sterling performances from Jean Gabin and Isa Miranda), it appears overly melodramatic
in places (largely as a result of the excessive musical score). Also, the ending
is all too predictable and somewhat unsatisfying.
© James Travers 2002
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