Obsession (1954)
Directed by Jean Delannoy

Film Review

Obssession is an enjoyably tense psychological drama that has the feel of a Hitchcock thriller. With some evocative (albeit slightly over-used) music from Paul Misraki, very atmospheric photography and fine acting, director Jean Delannoy manages to create a suitably tense drama which keeps us guessing right to the very last shot. One of the most prolific French film directors of his generation, Delannoy directed only a handful of thrillers - other notable examples being Macao, l'enfer du jeu (1939) and Maigret tend un piège (1958) - but these stand out as some of his finest films and deserve a place alongside his highly regarded dramas L'Éternel retour (1943) and Les Jeux sont faits (1947).

Delannoy is well served by his cast, particularly the superlative Michèle Morgan.  She conveys the impossible dilemma of her character's situation magnificently - to the point that we really expect her to have a seizure during the tense courtroom scene.  Often dialogue is superfluous - we can read her character's thoughts from the slightest gesture or most subtle of facial expressions. Also, she appears genuinely expert in the trapeze scenes and there is a genuine chemistry between her and her co-star, the Italian actor Raf Vallone.  Little wonder that this great acting talent was Delannoy's favourite leading lady.  In this film, she is very capably supported (literally) by Vallone (who, it is reported, suffered from vertigo).

Although this was Jean Delannoy's first film in colour, the director uses the new medium to great effect, and some of his more experimental ideas (such as illuminating the courtroom like a circus arena) work very well indeed.  One wonders why he reverted to black and white for some of his subsequent films. Whilst lacking the depth and true emotional impact of Delannoy's earlier masterpieces, this is nonetheless a compulsive and entertaining film that is well worth seeing.

Film Synopsis

Aldo and Hélène are a couple who have become famous through their daring trapeze act.  Presently, Hélène is concerned by her husband's coolness towards her.  Haunted by his past, Aldo reveals that several years ago he got into a fight with his partner at the time, Jim Brunot, and ended up killing him.  Moved by this confession, Hélène takes pity on her partner and promises she will never leave him.  She does not know that history is about to repeat itself.  After Aldo sustains an injury, another trapeze artist named Alexandre takes his place.  Seeing Alex and his wife together arouses jealous thoughts in Aldo, and the two men soon come to blows.  The day after their fight Alex is found dead, with a bullet in him.

Hélène's suspicions that Alex was murdered by her husband appear to be confirmed when she finds a gun among his possessions, but she cannot bring herself to betray him to the police.  When another man, the dog trainer Louis, is arrested in Aldo's place and sentenced to death for murder Hélène cannot keep her silence any longer.  In the hope of saving an innocent man from the scaffold, she goes to the police and reveals that, having already confessed to murdering one man, Aldo is the most likely suspect.  Hélène's suspicions turn out to be erroneous.  Louis was indeed the man who killed Alex, and admits as much before he is executed.  Although Aldo is cleared of one murder there is still the matter of the other crime which he says he committed several years ago...