Summary
Mathias Desgrez is a sick man who lives alone in his castle in the
Black Forest, attended to by his personal nurse Myra Schneider.
He asks his two nephews, Marc and Stéphane, to spend the summer
with him. These two are surprised when they learn that the
journalist Michel Boissard and his wife Marie have also been
invited. Mathias is the last descendant of the policeman who
arrested the Marquise de Brinvilliers, who was responsible for many
cases of poisoning during the reign of Louis XIV. Marie was
invited by Mathias because she is the last descendent of the
Brinvilliers family. One night, whilst a masked ball is in full
swing, Mathias is killed. According to the housekeeper, Madame
Henderson, he was poisoned – by a woman wearing 17th Century apparel...
© Willems Henri (Brussels, Belgium)
© Willems Henri (Brussels, Belgium)
Review
Another victim of the French Nouvelle Vague was the distinguished film
director Julien Duvivier. Admittedly, some of his best work (from
between 1935 and 1960) was behind him. Nevertheless, in the
sixties his cinematic and narrative skills did not desert him in films
such as Boulevard, Le Diable et
les dix commandements and Chair
de poule.
La Chambre ardente is no
exception to the rule. First seen in Paris on the 30th March
1962, this Franco-German production is adapted by Duvivier and Charles
Spaak from a book written in 1937 by the American writer John Dickson
Carr.
The French cast is made up of such distinguished performers as Jean-Claude Brialy, Claude Rich and Edith Scob (Georges Franju’s muse in Les Yeux sans visage and Judex). On the German side, the parts were offered to Austrian actrice Nadja Tiller (seen in movies with Jean Gabin, Robert Hossein, Pierre Brasseur, Jean Marais and Jean-Paul Belmondo) and actor/husband Walter Giller. If the rest of the crew is well-suited for this polished and attractive Gothic drama, the film has a few weaknesses due to its mix of rational and supernatural elements. On the other hand, the film’s impeccable construction, some crisp dialogue and several atmospheric scenes (such as the murder and the funeral) are to its credit. If the film’s conclusion is open-ended, one can say that it stays true to the spirit of John Dickson Carr’s work. Finally, the title refers to a court in the 17th century where famous poisoners such as la Brinvilliers and la Voisin were interrogated and tortured. This 3 star film has been available on DVD since January 2012.
© Willems Henri (Brussels, Belgium) 2012
Write a review for this film...
The French cast is made up of such distinguished performers as Jean-Claude Brialy, Claude Rich and Edith Scob (Georges Franju’s muse in Les Yeux sans visage and Judex). On the German side, the parts were offered to Austrian actrice Nadja Tiller (seen in movies with Jean Gabin, Robert Hossein, Pierre Brasseur, Jean Marais and Jean-Paul Belmondo) and actor/husband Walter Giller. If the rest of the crew is well-suited for this polished and attractive Gothic drama, the film has a few weaknesses due to its mix of rational and supernatural elements. On the other hand, the film’s impeccable construction, some crisp dialogue and several atmospheric scenes (such as the murder and the funeral) are to its credit. If the film’s conclusion is open-ended, one can say that it stays true to the spirit of John Dickson Carr’s work. Finally, the title refers to a court in the 17th century where famous poisoners such as la Brinvilliers and la Voisin were interrogated and tortured. This 3 star film has been available on DVD since January 2012.
© Willems Henri (Brussels, Belgium) 2012
Write a review for this film...
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Useful links
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Related links
- The best French thrillers
- Other French films of the 1960s
- The best French films of the 1960s
- Other French thrillers
- Biography and films of Julien Duvivier
To buy this film
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Credits
- Director: Julien Duvivier
- Script: John Dickson Carr, Julien Duvivier, Charles Spaak
- Photo: Roger Fellous
- Music: Georges Auric
- Cast: Jean-Claude Brialy (Marc Desgrez), Claude Rich (Stephan Desgrez), Edith Scob (Marie D’Aubray Boissand), Perrette Pradier (Lucie Desgrez), Nadja Tiller (Nurse Myra Schneider), Walter Giller (Michel Boissand), Antoine Balpêtré (Dr. Hermann), René Génin (Frederic Henderson, groundsman), Héléna Manson (Augusta Henderson, housekeeper), Frédéric Duvallès (Mathias Desgrez), Dany Jacquet (Frieda, maid), Laurence Belval, Gabriel Jabbour, Claude Piéplu (Le tapissier)
- Country: France
- Language: French
- Runtime: 110 min
- Aka: The Burning Court; The Curse and the Coffin
Similar films
If you like this film you may also like the following:- L’Aveu (1970)
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- Dernier domicile connu (1970)
- Les Diaboliques (1955)
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- Le Locataire (1976)
- Mélodie en sous-sol (1963)
- L’Oeil du malin (1962)
- Paris nous appartient (1960)
- Le Samouraï (1967)
- Le Trio infernal (1974)
- Un ami viendra ce soir (1946)
- Un papillon sur l’épaule (1978)
- Z (1969)
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Drama / Horror / Thriller






