A gang of young rockers led by Frankie open their own nightclub in a trendy
district of town. Unfortunately for them, the nightclub is directly
over the hideout of a notorious hoodlum named Morelli, and he does not share
their taste in rock music. Morelli is busy preparing the heist of the
century - the theft of a priceless jewelled tiara - so he doesn't take kindly
to all the noises that permeate his ceiling at all hours of the day and night.
The consummate killjoy, the gangster uses every means at his disposal in
his increasingly desperate attempts to drive away the unwelcome noisemakers
above him. His efforts are finally frustrated by an old enemy of his,
who turns up unexpectedly and offers to protect the youngsters from the mean-spirited
Morelli...
Cast:Eddie Constantine (Ric),
Johnny Hallyday (Frankie),
Michel Serrault (Aldo Moreni),
Annabella Incontrera (Eva),
Clément Michu (Gus),
Amarande (La veuve),
Jean Rupert (Le cousin du défunt),
Robert Lombard (Reggie),
Pierre Koulak (Charlie),
Hélène Soubielle (Jacqueline),
Dennis Berry (Ange),
Yves Beneyton (Toto),
René Berthier (L'associé de Morelli),
Yves Barsacq (L'inspecteur),
Hélène Duc (La bourgeoise),
France Rumilly (La fille d'Albert),
Jean-Pierre Zola (Le bourgeois),
Catherine Allégret (Mimi),
André Cagnard (L'homme de main de Morelli),
Mei Chen (Chinese girl)
Country: France / Italy
Language: French
Support: Color
Runtime: 88 min
Aka:The Great Chase
French cinema during the Nazi Occupation
Even in the dark days of the Occupation, French cinema continued to impress with its artistry and diversity.
Continental Films, quality cinema under the Nazi Occupation
At the time of the Nazi Occupation of France during WWII, the German-run company Continental produced some of the finest films made in France in the 1940s.
Since the 1920s, Hollywood has dominated the film industry, but that doesn't mean American cinema is all bad - America has produced so many great films that you could never watch them all in one lifetime.
In the 1940s, the shadowy, skewed visual style of 1920s German expressionism was taken up by directors of American thrillers and psychological dramas, creating that distinctive film noir look.