L'assassin habite... au 21 (1942) Reviews

• Comedy thriller or damning allegory for Occupied France? (possible spoiler in last paragraph)

  the red duchess2001-07-19

  Henri-Georges Clouzot is generally considered cinema's master of misanthropy, with 'Le Corbeau', 'Les Diaboliques' and 'The wages of fear' standing as damning testaments to all that is mean and ugly in human nature. 'L'assassin habite au 21' may surprise fans of his work with its light, parodic tone. The assassin is M. Durand, an unseen serial killer who always leaves his calling card at the scene of the crime. Durand is not just elusive, but seems to be able to be in all places at all times. Political pressure is put on the police to get to the bottom of the case, with Inspecteur Wenceslas 'Wens' Vorobechik, a dandy living in an unexpectedly plush, Astaire and Rogers-type house, complete with maid, and live-in lover, the brash Mila Milou, a slappy Jeanette MacDonald-wannabe desperate for a job. A tip-off leads Wens to a boarding house, peopled by a rare band of eccentrics (an elderly unpublished authoress, a disgraced abortionist, a magician, an artisan, the landlady, and a bizarre butler who does animal impressions). Wens disguises himself as a pastor to try and uncover the murderer, but every time he thinks he's caught the murderer, another homicide takes place. From the very first shot, a spookily creaking door overemphasised by the music and shut be an indifferent barman, we know we're closer to the comic-fantasy crime world of Carne's 'Drole de drame' than any of Clouzot's later, bleakly inexorable classics. The pantomime aspect of the plot, with its suave killer, eccentric suspects, foppish investigator, is emphasised by the references to theatre throughout - Mila's singing; Wens' disguise; the soirees at 21; the magician's elaborate room and show (framing an excellent murder); and the final concert that provides background for the climax. Fun is also to be had in the bickering between the central lovers, and the spineless buck-passing within the police force. This last gives a clue to the film's true worth. 'L'assassin' was produced during the Nazi Occupation of France, a difficult time for Clouzot, whose next film, the savagely satiric 'Le Corbeau', was denounced by the Resistance as pro-Nazi. It might seem jarring to see comically buffoonish policemen, when we know outside the cinemas the Gestapo are out collecting fodder for concentration camps, but Clouzot manages to smuggle in darker truths. The opening murder, where the drunken lottery-winner is relentlessly stalked and finally stabbed, is shot, unedited, from the point of view of the killer, and so may be the first slasher sequence in movies; but a film where the camera has been the authority, the equivalent of the third person narrator in a novel, and the point of view has been usurped by a faceless, undefeatable killer, randomly slaughtering in a familiar environment, has obvious resonance in a France under the terror of the Nazis. Ditto the plot resolution. The narrative, albeit comically, utilises the old-fashioned puzzle format (e.g. Agatha Christie), where crime is concentrated in an artificial setting, is rooted out by a clever detective, restoring order. In Clouzot's film, it's not just a fact that every one's a suspect: every suspect is a killer. Again, in a France where good bourgeoises were informing daily on their neighbours, Clouzot's film or solution isn't very far-fetched. The 'singular' assassin of the title looked at this way is not a deception, but a finger pointed at the whole of France, just as 'Le Corbeau' would a year later.

  More

• A beautiful thriller

  vogonify2013-07-02

  What a smart film this is! It took me a while to get around after the proverbial rug was pulled from under my feet towards its climax. It is a thriller, but not just that. It is a comedy, but never distracting from the overall tone. It is intelligent, but doesn't take a cheat breather at the end to cover up writing inadequacies. A policeman has to catch a serial killer in two days. He has for company an ambitious woman who is far from qualified to be in situations she intends to be in. He has a clue. And he has a set of strange people amongst whom he feels he has his target. A fabulous whodunit ensues. Add to this the beautiful language of the French in what is a fairly verbose film, and you have an absolute must- see. Along with Laura, this is one of my favourite suspense thrillers from the 40s and I definitely recommend it.

  More

• Clouzot's brilliant debut.

  dbdumonteil2001-12-07

  In 1941,Georges Lacombe made "le dernier des six",adapted from a Stanislas André Steeman book.Clouzot wrote the script,and introduced his girlfriend Suzy Delair (Mila Malou, a character whom he created from start to finish,Steeman's sleuth M.Wens was a bachelor). So here we are again:a new Steeman detective story (probably his masterpiece),Fresnay as the sleuth,and Delair a pain in the neck of a singer.(She had begun to "launch " her " career" of chanteuse in "le dernier des six";I recommend this earlier work to all these who enjoyed the 1942 movie)Steeman did not like the adaptation.The couple Delair/FResnay was not his cup of tea,and anyway,like Hercule Poirot doesn't investigate in "and then there were none",M.Wens (therefore Mila Malou,Clouzot's invention)is absent from the novel "l'assassin habite au 21".But what infuriated Steeman,twas mainly that his story was set in London,and Clouzot (German Occupation) was compelled to film in Paris. What's the matter?Clouzot's first opus,is a gem,one of these mysteries with the ending you'll never guess.Agatha Christie's fans will relish watching that!Shall I give a clue ?Mathematically,it's a ternary notation.Computers,you can forget it!For the rest,my lips are sealed. All Clouzot's work ,all that he will brilliantly develop in subsequent works is already here :a rotten microcosm (the boarding-house with a lot of wicked old people predates the school in "les diaboliques" and the small town in "le corbeau".His sarcastic humor shines here there and everywhere.He asserts his extraordinary skills by detailing the supporting characters.Of course a diabolical suspense (and admire the elegance of Clouzot's style,when Fresnay/Wens finds out what's been going on.) In a nutshell,a serial killer is rampant in town:they discover his address.Alas it's a boarding-house!So whodunit?Sometimes I wonder whether this charming thriller might not be superior to the renowned "le corbeau" which was released the following year.With it,a director who influenced countless ones was born.

  More

• Neatly done light thriller!

  gordonl562007-12-24

  THE MURDERER LIVES AT NUMBER 21 - An early film from the great French writer- director Henri-Georges Clouzot. There is serial killer loose on the streets of Paris and the police seem unable to catch him. Every time he strikes he leaves a business card with the name M. Durand at the crime scene. The government leans on the mayor for action, he in turn leans on the Police chief who does the same to the chief of detectives and so on and so on. Having finally reached the bottom of the command structure we find a detective Wens. Wens is played by Pierre Fresnay. Wens is given a week to solve the case or resign. He catches a break when a 2nd rate burglar is brought in to be locked up. He is willing to trade some info for a get out of jail free. It seems that while he was pulling a job at a rooming house he found a box full of the M.Durand cards. He does not recall which room but gives the detective the house number and street. Early next morning Wens calls on the rooming house while disguised as a priest from the country. Over a meal he meets the other residents who are a who's who of mystery stereotypes. The writer, the toymaker, the doctor, the lounge singer, the out of work sideshow knife thrower etc. When one of the guests is done in he puts the grab on the knife man. Opps! While in custody there is another killing so out the door goes the knife thrower while the doctor is grabbed up. They are giving him the third degree when there is another murder. Out the door the doctor goes and in comes the toymaker! Finally Wens tumbles to the fact there is more than one killer. Every time one of their group is arrested they commit a new murder which causes the baffled cops to believe they have the wrong person. The rest of the cast includes, Suzy Delair, Jean Tissier, Jean Desqecux, Pierre Larqvey and Noel Roquevert. The whole film is like a noir version of the Thin Man series with a hint of comedy and some real racy (for 1942) dialogue. The cinematography is simply dazzling. The opening murder is as good a bit of film-making as i've ever seen. That this film was made in Paris during the Nazi occupation makes it all the more impressive. While not quite as good as some of Clouzot's later work, Manon, Quai des Orferes and Les Diaboliques it is highly entertaining. My 3 cents anyway,

  More

• Roomers Are Flying

  writers_reign2007-01-03

  To all intents and purposes this WAS Clouzot's first directorial effort though technically he had three previous credits (one a short) in the very early thirties. The decade or so he spent writing screenplays for others to direct wasn't wasted so that when he became a hyphenate writer-director he turned out three masterpieces one after the other (L'Assassin habite au 21, Le Corbeau and Quai des Orfevres). This first entry transposes a novel set in London to Paris - presumably because the German-owned Production company Continental dictated so - creates a plum role for his then girl friend Suzy Delair and has a little fun with a popular genre. In short there is a serial killer on the loose with a penchant for leaving a calling card bearing the name M Durand at the scene of (presumably) his crimes. Attempting to get to the bottom of it is a detective who's a sort of cross between Philo Vance and Nick Charles, i.e. he lives in a plush apartment which suggests independent means a la Vance and indulges in some light banter with his girl friend a la Charles (although, of course, Nick was married to Nora). A tip leads him to a rooming house peopled by characters probably listed as 'off-the-wall' at Central Casting. The mood is gently satirical but the in-fighting amongst the police may well have been a comment on the state of a nation under Occupation as the 'everyone is guilty' solution was almost certainly an attack on the 'informer/collaborator' syndrome prevalent at the time. When viewed with Clouzot's next film, Le Corbeau, a much more 'serious' take on a similar theme - with 'poison pen' letters substituting for physical murder - the veiled comments on French society become much clearer. A great start to a great directorial career.

  More