Les Mystères de Paris (1962)
Directed by André Hunebelle

Drama / Adventure / Romance / History
aka: Devil of Paris

Film Review

Abstract picture representing Les Mysteres de Paris (1962)
Eugène Sue's celebrated novel Les Mystères de Paris (first published in 1842) has been adapted many times for the cinema but the best known version is this colourful 1962 blockbuster, starring French film icon Jean Marais in yet another of his athletic historical roles.  Well-paced, stylish and beautifully photographed, the film was enthusiastically directed by André Hunebelle, who had previously worked with Marais on some very popular swashbucklers - Le Bossu (1960) and Le Capitan (1960).  With Jean Marais at the height of his popularity, the film proved to be a huge commercial success, attracting an audience in France of almost three million, making it one of the biggest hits of the year.

The film's distinguished cast includes Raymond Pellegrin as the deliciously evil villain of the piece (it is obligatory to boo and hiss every time he appears on the screen), the sensual Dany Robin as Marais's ill-fated fiancée and the eye-catching British actress Jill Haworth in one of her earliest screen roles.  Acting stalwarts Noël Roquevert and Pierre Mondy make welcome appearances, although it is often the lesser known character actors who most grab our attention, particularly Renée Gardès who is magnificently grotesque as the despicable hag Chouette. 

Whilst it is by no means the most inspired or intelligent literary adaptation French cinema has given us, Les Mystères de Paris is still a massively enjoyable adventure romp that offers both a bleak insight into the harsh inequalities that existed in post-revolutionary France under the reign of Louis-Philippe and some very well choreographed action sequences.  Marais seems to positively relish the dangerous situations his character manages to get himself out of, miraculously escaping from burning buildings and flooded cellars like a 19th Century Harry Houdini.  Hunebelle would bring together Marais and Pellegrin a few years later in his most famous film, Fantômas (1964), with Pellgrin providing the distinctive voice for Marais's masked arch-villain.
© James Travers, Willems Henri 2011
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next André Hunebelle film:
Méfiez-vous, mesdames! (1963)

Film Synopsis

Paris, 1840.  The fortunes of the Marquis Rodolphe de Sombreuil, a frivolous dandy, and Marie Godin, one of the city's malnourished poor, become inextricably linked on the day that the former's horse-drawn carriage knocks down the latter's father.  The Marquis is not a heartless man, so thinking that the old man has sustained only a minor injury he gives him a purse containing some money to compensate for the accident.  He then goes on his way with his fiancée Irène, unaware that he leaves behind a man dying from his wounds.  Godin's death is more than his wife and daughter can bear, but far worse is to follow.

Finding the Marquis's expensive purse in the widow's possession, the police mistake the old woman for a thief and immediately arrest her.  Meanwhile, Marie gets herself into bad company whilst looking for work.  Summoned by the police to settle the matter of the stolen purse, Rodolphe is moved by the widow's urgent appeals to go after her missing daughter and rescue her from whatever trouble she is now in.  Adopting a suitable disguise, the Marquis is soon scouring the city for Marie and finds a useful ally in Chourineur, a former convict who knows his way around the Parisian underworld.

Meanwhile, the object of Rodolphe's ardent quest about Paris has fallen into the pock-marked hands of La Chouette, a vile old hag who intends employing her as a prostitute.  With her fiancé absorbed by his latest idiotic adventure, Irène begins to feel neglected and resentful.  Seeking amusement of her own, she turns her attention to the Marquis's rival, the Baron de Lansignac, a powerful man of business who has a habit of getting his own way.  When Marie is introduced to him, the baron decides at once that he must have her...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.


Film Credits

  • Director: André Hunebelle
  • Script: Diego Fabbri, Pierre Foucaud, Jean Halain, Eugène Sue (novel)
  • Cinematographer: Marcel Grignon, Jean Tournier
  • Music: Jean Marion
  • Cast: Jean Marais (Rodolphe de Sombreuil), Dany Robin (Irène), Jill Haworth (Fleur de Marie), Raymond Pellegrin (Baron de Lansignac), Pierre Mondy (Le Chourineur), Alain Dekok (Fanfan), Georges Chamarat (Jérôme), Madeleine Barbulée (Mme Godin), Renée Gardès (La Chouette), Guy Delorme (Un policier), Paul Cambo (Le préfet), Paulette Dubost (Mme Pipelet), Florence Blot (La nouvelle locataire), Alain Bouvette (Oscar), Charles Bouillaud (Godin), Louis Bugette (Le faux aveugle), Robert Dalban (Le patron de l'auberge des Ravageurs), Gabriel Gobin (M. Morel, le tailleur), Benoîte Labb (Louise Morel), Maria Meriko (Mme Georges)
  • Country: France / Italy
  • Language: French
  • Support: Color
  • Runtime: 110 min
  • Aka: Devil of Paris

The brighter side of Franz Kafka
sb-img-1
In his letters to his friends and family, Franz Kafka gives us a rich self-portrait that is surprisingly upbeat, nor the angst-ridden soul we might expect.
The best French films of 2018
sb-img-27
Our round-up of the best French films released in 2018.
The best of British film comedies
sb-img-15
British cinema excels in comedy, from the genius of Will Hay to the camp lunacy of the Carry Ons.
The best French films of 2019
sb-img-28
Our round-up of the best French films released in 2019.
The history of French cinema
sb-img-8
From its birth in 1895, cinema has been an essential part of French culture. Now it is one of the most dynamic, versatile and important of the arts in France.
 

Other things to look at


Copyright © filmsdefrance.com 1998-2024
All rights reserved



All content on this page is protected by copyright