• Director: Jacques Becker
• Script: Maurice Aubergé, Louis Chavance, Pierre Bost
• Photo: Nicolas Hayer
• Music: Jean Alfaro
• Cast: Mireille Balin (Bella Score), Raymond Rouleau (Clarence), Pierre Renoir (Rudy Score), Noël Roquevert (L’inspecteur Gonzalès), Catherine Cayret (Pearl), Gaston Modot (Toni Amanito), Roger Blin (Un aspirant), Didier, Eddy Debray (Le bijoutier), Pierre Perret, Christian Argentin (Le gérant de l’hôtel), René Stern (Roberto), Henry Darbray (Un inspecteur)
• Country: France
• Language: French
• Runtime: 105 min; B&W
• Aka: The Last Ace in the Deck

Whilst not as stylish or confident as Becker’s subsequent policier, Touchez pas au grisbi (1953), it is an entertaining first foray in to the sleazy milieu of classic French film noir.  Mindful of censorship from the occupying Germans, Becker was almost obliged to set his film in a fictitious South American country, something which reinforces the artificiality and remoteness of the film and makes apparent its American gangster film origins.

© James Travers 2002