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La Vierge du Rhin
1953 Crime Drama
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Credits
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Director: Gilles Grangier
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Script: Jacques Sigurd, based on the novel by Pierre Nord
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Photo: Marc Fossard
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Music: Joseph Kosma
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Cast: Jean Gabin (Jacques Ledru),
Elina Labourdette (Geneviève Labbé),
Andrée Clément (Anna Berg),
Olivier Hussenot (Meister),
Albert Dinan (Le commissaire Guérin),
Claude Vernier (Pietr),
Renaud Mary (Maurice Labbé),
Nadia Gray (Maria Meister)
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Country: France
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Language: French
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Runtime: 82 min; B&W
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Aka: Rhine Virgin
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Summary
Believed to have been killed in action during World War II, Jacques Ledru returns to
his hometown of Strasbourg. He finds that his wife Geneviève has re-married
and has taken over his shipping company. When she discovers that her former husband
is still alive, Geneviève realises that she has only one course of action if she
is to hold on to the fortune she has acquired: she must kill Ledru. On night, Ledru
confronts his former wife and her new husband, Maurice Labbé. The latter
prevents Geneviève from killing Ledru but a short while later he himself is killed
by an unknown assailant. Geneviève accuses Ledru of killing Labbé,
but Ledru is certain that his wife is the murderer…
Review
Gilles Grangier directs this satisfying mixing of melodrama and policier with energy,
realism and artistic flair - qualities which are much less noticeable in his later films.
The story and its presentation are pure B movie material and the film compares favourably
alongside many American films of the genre.
Jean Gabin, enjoying a comeback after a pretty fallow period in the 1940s, gives
a characteristically morose and enigmatic performance, a stark contrast to the flawed
romantic hero that marked his early film career. The performances from the supporting
cast are also worth noting, particularly Elina Labourdette who plays the film’s
ambiguous villainess with a sinister coolness.
Unlike most policiers of this decade,
the film makes extensive use of location photography, and even includes some spectacular
stunts. This gives the film a realism and sense of narrative coherence which is
often lacking in studio bound thrillers of this period.
© James Travers 2004
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