Une histoire d’amour (1951) - film review

One morning, two policemen come across the dead bodies of a young man and woman in wrecked coach on a stretch of waste ground.  It appears to be an open and shut case of suicide by cyanide poisoning, but Inspector Plonche insists on carrying out his own investigation into the events which led to this tragic outcome.  The dead man was Jean Bompart, son of a failed sculptor, Auguste, and the dead woman was his 18 year old girlfriend Catherine, daughter of a successful businessman Charles Mareuil.  Plonche discovers that Mareuil and his wife were vehemently opposed to Jean’s intention to marry their daughter…

An otherwise predictable tragic love story is made more interesting by having the narrative structured as a mystery thriller.  In his last film role, that great actor of stage and screen Louis Jouvet plays detective, investigating a mysterious double suicide.  (The actor was ill whilst making the film and died shortly after the shooting had been completed.)   The ill-fated lovers are played by Daniel Gélin and Dany Robin, an attractive couple, even if most of their scenes lack any real spark.  Jean Grémillion was originally to have directed this film, but when he pulled out he was replaced by Guy Lefranc at Jouvet’s suggestion (the two men having recently worked together on an adaptation of Knock ).

© James Travers 2006

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