Paul Meurisse

Mixing interviews, rare archival footage and film extracts, the film shows how Melville's works were impacted by what he experienced in his youth during WWII, and how it structured his whole approach to cinema, not only in its thematic but also in its aesthetics.

This sex comedy concerns the efforts of Julien to get his timid, "backward" 20-year-old son to take an interest in sex and get married. After a series of adventures with women (arranged by papa), Valentin finally gets married to a woman who appears to be as shy as he is. Things get complicated when his father begins an affair with her.

Hugo Sennart is a French Gypsy, wanted by the police for theft. The same inspector who's searching for him is also looking for a jewel thief, Yan Kuq, whose wife has died under suspicious circumstance just after a major burglary. The Gypsy needs to settle a few scores and make one more heist before going to ground, and, by coincidence, his path takes him close to Yan, who's hiding in the hotel of a close friend and former lover, Ninie. The Gypsy lives by a code of honor, which puts him at risk on occasion; and he despises those who treat his people as worse than dogs. The police close in. Is there honor among thieves?

When an American tourist is murdered in the south of France, the police must investigate. In this movie, the police inspector re-creates the girl's journeys through France until the murder is solved. Suspicions are narrowed down to four possible perpetrators early on, and flashbacks illuminate the roles each one played in the girl's vacation.

A priest gets a little hot under the collar when the wife he thought was dead unexpectedly returns.

Betrayed by an informant, Philippe Gerbier finds himself trapped in a torturous Nazi prison camp. Though Gerbier escapes to rejoin the Resistance in occupied Marseilles, France, and exacts his revenge on the informant, he must continue a quiet, seemingly endless battle against the Nazis in an atmosphere of tension, paranoia and distrust.

A gangster escapes jail and quickly makes plans to continue his criminal ways elsewhere, but a determined inspector is closing in.

Vienna 1965. While visiting the Wax Museum a group of tourists stop in front of the figure of Prince Metternich. All of a sudden they find themselves brought back 150 years earlier during the Vienna Congress of 1814-1815. Before their eyes wide open, history is in the making. Gathered around the Tsar of Russia, Alexander I, the Kings of Bavaria, Würtemberg, Prussia and Denmark, are persuaded they are building the future Europe whereas they are being manipulated by foxy Chancellor Metternich, he himself under the thumb of cynical Count Talleyrand, the French representative. All those considerations come second though to partying and social life, which is all these aristocrats really want out of this congress.

Arsène Baudu and Hyacinthe, a pair of small-time crooks, fall prey to Alexandre Larsan-Bellac, who involves them (against their will) in high-profile swindling, but their success is quite limited. For starters they are deceived by Mrs. Paterson, a charming widow. Later on, Ribeiro, a Portuguese contractor and former victim of the two crooks, traces them and forces them to work on one of his building sites for damages. Just then, Larsan-Bellac resurfaces with plans to lure Ribeiro once again. —Guy Bellinger

Louis Bourdin est employé à la RATP le jour, romancier la nuit, avec une forte prédilection pour le genre policier. Un jour, il rédige un polar situé dans l'univers de la RATP, boudé par les éditeurs. Le livre parvient alors aux yeux d'une bande de criminels...

A story about Caroline, a young girl who decides to start dating only men after forty.

A French agent goes after a gang of Asian terrorists who plan to blow up an American nuclear aircraft carrier.

An aging gangster, Fernand Naudin is hoping for a quiet retirement when he suddenly inherits a fortune from an old friend, a former gangster supremo known as the Mexican. If he is ambivalent about his new found wealth, Fernand is positively nonplussed to discover that he has also inherited his benefactor’s daughter, Patricia. Unfortunately, not only does Fernand have to put up with the thoroughly modern Patricia and her nauseating boyfriend, but he also had to contend with the Mexican’s trigger-happy former employees, who are determined to make a claim.

Lionel Fribourg, a great composer (at least that's what he thinks) has a problem with his noisy environment: he can't complete his unfinished symphony. Of course there is a market for unfinished symphonies but, for all he knows, only one became famous. So he had better find a way to finish it. At long last, he comes across Agnès, a divorced woman who agrees to let him her quiet home. Lionel, full of hope, resumes work...

Charles Rouvier, a lawyer, is in jail for trying to save one of his clients, Hedwige. He decides to be revenged on women and his inmates teach him how to seduce and exploit them.As soon as he is released from prison he places a personal ad in a newspaper. This is how the newly self-appointed "cynical Don Juan" will meet three creatures: Florence, Gisèle and Henriette. Who will eat who?

In a building close to the Place de la Contrescarpe in Paris, a tale of criss‑crossings in turn romantic, gourmet, interested or mystical, between an Italian gigolo and a nightclub hostess, a family of butchers and an apprentice rocker, a mystic tailor, a writer sending himself telegrams, an alert paralytic woman, a thoughtful concierge, a bird breeder and a just‑out‑of‑jail hooligan. Little by little each one discovers each other’s more or less troubled history… when a mysterious death introduces the Police within this huis clos, hastens disclosure of well‑kept secrets and ruffle this little World.

In 1943, a German commando conceals a large quantity of gold in an undersea cave on the coast of Corsica. Years later, Schlumpf, the sole survivor of the commando, returns to Corsica to recuperate the treasure -- with British and Soviet spies on his heels, and closely monitored by Dromard, from the French intelligence services. The monocled Dromard is convinced that he can outfox his opponents, but difficulties accumulate: despite his plump appearance, Herr Schlumpf is a sly fellow; Corsica is teeming with treasure hunters from various nationalities; and all parties readily resort to unnatural alliances, brazen treachery, and strong-arm tactics. Who will get the treasure?

Denis, a hypersensitive teenager, is revolted both against his distant, pretentious, well-to-do parents and their superficial society firends and the stiff, intolerant catholic establishment in which he studies. Fortunately,he has an open-minded philosophy teacher, Father Philippe de Maubrun, who understands him and supports him in his distress.

A dozen elegant people are gathered in a writer's desirable mansion. In the grand tradition of Agatha Christie, they all have something to hide.They begin a cruel game of truth, a game where you're not supposed to tell lies. As the questions become more and more intimate and precise, the tempers rise, while outside the storm is raging. Enter a hateful person (played by Paul Meurisse, the nasty headmaster in "Les Diaboliques") who seems to know a lot about them. Someone is murdered. Whodunit?

The Marquis de Villemaur reunite strange visitors in his Castle, to meet a survivor of the Third Reich. There is an Italian fascist, Heinrich; a German, Matthias; a Russian; and Dromard, a blind French war hero with a black monocle. - from IMDB

As Dominique Marceau is being tried for the murder of Gilbert Tellier, accounts by different witnesses paint a picture of the kind of relationship the two used to share.

Etienne Alexis, a candidate for president of the new Europe, is a scientist promoting artificial insemination for social betterment and therapy to eliminate passion. To celebrate his engagement to a cousin, he hosts an aseptic picnic, where mother nature asserts herself. A shepherd's flute conjures a windstorm that throws Alexis together with the luscious Nénette, a farm lass who wants to have a baby but is unimpressed with men.

A group of ex-resistance fighters are brought together by Marie-Octobre, the code name of Marie-Helene Dumoulin. The former members of the network have carried on with their lives after the war, but this evening they are going to have to live again a fateful night – the night their leader was killed. He had been betrayed, his name given to the Germans. The search for the traitor puts each personality in the spotlight – and also that of the killed leader, Castille.

An aimless young man is committed to a psychiatric hospital by his father in an attempt to cure him of his delinquent tendencies.

"Le septième ciel" became Raymond Bernard's last film; a black comedy about a female brewery owner who donates vast amounts of money to charitable causes. The funds to do this, she raises through her liaisons with wealthy gentlemen... who just "happen" to end up dead!

After resolving to start a new life with his girlfriend Jacqueline, Bastien Sassey decides to give up working as a courier for drugs traffickers. So that he and Jacqueline can make a fresh start he agrees to take on one more job for a large sum of cash, but he betrays his employer.

Pierre Tercelin who used to be a prosperous industrialist is now ruined and embittered, having become a mere lock keeper. A widower, he lives with his daughter Evelyne, a music-hall dancer. Claiming he is being persecuted by his cousin Edgar he gets in touch again with another cousin of his he hates, Bernard, a millionaire gun runner,who is also a victim of Edgar. It must be said that both Pierre and Bernard once caused Edgar to go bankrupt... Pierre offers Bernard to join efforts against Edgar. Soon after, Bernard dies of poison, which is only the first of a series of acts of violence. Tiercelin is shot at while going back home, Bernard's son is gunned down while his sister Luciane disappears. Chief-inspector Malouvier - who oddly enough looks very much like the suspect- investigates....

Just released from prison after serving a six-month sentence, Fernand Bastia goes into hiding. He has indeed double-crossed his gang by keeping part of the product of a robbery for himself. Thanks to his sister Marcella, Fernand has taken refuge in a small circus where she works. There, he falls in love with Gina but also arouses the jealousy of Quedchi, a fairground stall-holder who has seen him hiding the stolen money. After a while, Fredo Riccioni, the boss of the gang and his men, manage to trace him...

Madame de Montespan, the Maîtresse-en-titre of Louis XIV, has been in disgrace since the King set eyes on a younger beauty, Marie-Angélique Scorailles. Having had enough of the situation, the rejected mistress decides to visit La Voisin, a woman known as a fortune teller, a doctor, a midwife and who is also said to arrange black masses and sell poisons. Some time later Marie-Angélique, now Duchess of Fontanges, dies mysteriously aged only twenty...

Ｐ・ボワローとＴ・ナルスジャックのミステリを、Ｈ＝Ｇ・クルーゾーが映画化した作品で、「恐怖の報酬」（52）とはまた質の異なる突出したサスペンス描写に彩られた傑作。 舞台はパリ近郊の寄宿学校。校長のミシェル（Ｐ・ムーリス）は妻クリスティナ（Ｖ・クルーゾー）の莫大な財産の上に今の地位を築いていたが、その横暴ぶりにクリスティナの心労は極みに達していた。ミシェルの愛人でもある女教師ニコル（Ｓ・シニョレ）は彼女に同情し、二人して彼の殺害を企む。クリスティナとニコルは週末を利用してニコルの実家に赴き、ミシェルへ離婚の決意を告げる。やがて彼女を連れ戻そうと現れたミシェルは、薬入りの酒を飲まされバスタブで溺死させられる。死体をトランクに隠すと、学校に戻りプールの底に沈めてしまうクリスティナとニコル。後は死体が誰かに発見されるのを待つばかりであったが、なかなかその状況が生まれない。やむなく理由をつけてプールの栓を抜くことを命じるクリスティナ。だが、そこにはミシェルの死体など存在しなかった……。

The lover of an Italian revolutionary offers herself to Napoleon in exchange for her sweetheart's life.

Mado loves Henry but is coveted by Bob Torquella, a dangerous gangster. The latter, mad with jealousy, is prepared to do everything to get rid of Henri. He and his accomplice involve him in a dangerous robbery. Henri is hurt and arrested by the police. But the young man, a weak character, denounces his accomplices. Two years later, the two gangsters run away from prison. Bob finds that Henri and Mado are husband and wife and have a daughter. In a panic, Henri runs for cover.

The maid of a clandestine brothel in Marseille is found murdered. The inspector Sergil, in charge of the investigation will employ somewhat particular methods in order to unmask the assassin.

Raymond Corbier, a sculptor, has a wonderful wife, Sylvia, whom he adores. To save a passionate admirer who simulates suicide because she does not respond to her advances, Sylvia, an irreproachable wife, is forced to lie for the first time to Raymond.

Schomberg, an enigmatic psychiatrist runs a nursing home. He is forced to close his clinic and disappear to escape the police. But he wants revenge on his wife's lover, Didier Laurent, a former RAF fighter pilot. Didier meets a young trapeze artist, Paula, with whom he falls in love. The happiness of the two young people is disturbed by the assassination of Irene, strangled by Schomberg who casts suspicion on Didier. Fortunately for them Commissioner Ulysses knows the truth and forces Schomberg to commit suicide.

Maria is the wife of self-styled naturalist Mathius. Alas, Maria's husband spends more time with his beloved woodland creatures than with her. Yearning for a visit to the Big City, Maria leaves herself wide open for disillusionment and heartbreak.

Pushed by her husband to settle in the family castle, Agnès finds her sister-in-law Alix there. Her husband Carlos, often absent, loses interest in his wife and gradually approaches Agnès who will end up giving up this relationship.

A journalist who deals with the column "courier du cœur" has the absurd idea of ​​launching an investigation into the death of a pianist whom he claims to have been murdered. To dazzle his wife, a reporter for the newspaper, he disguises the facts in such a way that the police suspect him, then declare him guilty. It takes a number of adventures to get him out of this mess and get him back into his section.

A young woman who inherits her uncle's nightclub, invents a gangster husband in order to gain respect.

Inspector Sergil is assigned the mission to protect the dictator of Santa Juanita during his stay in France and - it goes without saying -trouble begins at once, as of his journey in the fast train from Paris to Marseilles. A lot of opponents of all kinds are intent on liquidating the dictator and they do not particularly like to have Sergil in their way. When Bijou, the inspector's fiancée, accepts to serve as a bodyguard for the dictator, she is soon kidnapped and will not be released until Sergil tells them about their enemy's hiding place. Where the shoe pinches is that the dictator has disappeared and Sergil does not even know where he is.

Stage actress Marianne has decided to give up her career to marry wealthy nobleman Marquis Antoine de Fontaines. As a wedding present, Antoine gives his future wife a precious diamond necklace, which is coveted by a gang of crooks. Jean, one of them, is given the mission to approach Marianne and steal the necklace from her. The only trouble is that when he meets her, she recognizes him as the man she once loved.

Claude Géraudy, a banker responsible for a financial scandal, is forced to flee and hides in the mountains with the help of Manu, a young smuggler. Florence, his wife, refuses to join him. Desperate Claude commits suicide, Florence then decides to pass her suicide off as murder in order to receive her late husband's life insurance.

In his younger days, a dashing officer, Colonel Durand, compromised Madame De Monthieux, who entered a convent. Now, he is garrisoned at Strasbourg.

Stanislas Oscar Seminario, aka SOS, is a young explorer, just back from Africa, visiting old friends: the Pescara's. But the father keeps receiving anonymous letters. And soon a mysterious murder is committed. SOS begins to investigate...

Danielle Darrieux stars as Arabella Delvaire in this baroque adaptation of Pierre Benoit's novel Bethshabee. Arabella is a woman of the world who arrives at a remote Foreign Legion outpost for a rendezvous with her current lover, Captain Duveuil. It so happens that one of Arabella's previous amours, Captain Somerville (Paul Meurisse), is also serving at the same post. So much for joining the Foreign Legion to forget. A climactic knife duel "solves" the film's various plot complications. Despite its Foreign Legion background, Bethsabee has next to no action, which must have made things difficult when the film was distributed to the U.S.

A husband covers his weekly infidelities with the pretext of hunting. His best friend intends to take advantage of the situation and makes an appointment with the outraged wife in a bachelor flat where the situation is resolved, not without morality being undermined.

Inspector Sergil is a detective comedy. Sergil, inspector of the P.J., investigates three crimes, helped by two pretty women, Bijou and Nadège.

Children imprisoned during pre-war France decide to escape.

Madame Rose runs a seedy hotel in a suburb of Paris. Strong-minded but without the least moral scruple, she once killed her husband whose honesty was a hindrance to her business. Under a suspended sentence, she now indulges in smuggling. One day, Victor, one of her former accomplices hounded by the police, finds sanctuary with her. During a drinking spree, he has the bad idea to entrust to her a suitcase filled with bank notes, a loot with which Victor hopes to rebuild his life in South America. But Rose, lured by temptation, betrays Victor, who is arrested by the police. However, he manages to escape with only one thing in mind, to take revenge on Rose...

The novelist Suzanne Delmont creates a character, "The Uncatcable Frédéric", a sort of Arsène Lupin. A mysterious stranger launches a press campaign accusing him of having a harmful influence on young people...

Marie is one of her kind. While the other girls are after gold, diamonds and jewels, she swears by ... poverty! She does not remain the companion of a banker too long for obvious reasons. But when she can be the muse of a poor music composer it is fine by her. Unless the musician becomes too famous...! Then, she leaves him! But maybe not forever... He can fall into poverty again, can't he?

Two friends, mobilized together and idle, send their photos to two young workers. The photos are inverted, resulting in a real sentimental imbroglio which finds its best conclusion in the context of the Théâtre aux Armées.

Bastien and Furet are a journalist and a photographer working together as a team on the newspaper 'L'Echo du Jour'. Just as they are about to go off on a weekend break with Micky, their boss's secretary, they are sent to a crime scene to report the murder of a Russian named 'le Moujik'.

Pierre, who is a Fine Arts student, and Denise, who is a chemistry student, work for a department store where, wearing wedding suits, they distribute flyers to passers-by. The store manager, Bernard, falls in love with Denise and arranges to take her to an inn not far from Paris, run by the handsome Robert. This one opens Denise's eyes who ends up returning to her home. After a fight between Pierre and Bernard, Denise ends up choosing to stay with Pierre.

An unconsummated marriage to fool the father who wants his heir to be wed.

Maurice loves Juliet and Michael loves Lily. Romance blossoms on the hill. They are workers, artisans, and Lily has a real talent as a singer. But Claude's arrival brings trouble to their relationships. Maurice, jealous, approaches Lily. Singing in the streets, Lily quickly becomes a cabaret star.

Are these two tramps who come to pose for an advertising agency at Patrice Farfadou, the fashionable photographer, the Prince Andromache of Miremir and his faithful secretary Palmer? Who will find the key to the Enigma: The melancholic Hector, the youthful Geneviève, or the feverish Elyane?