Rating: NR
Length: 116 minutes

Standard 1.33:1 B&W Not Anamorphic

FRENCH: Dolby Digital Mono

English

Two women plot and murder the abusive headmaster of a boys school; one lady is his wife and the other is his mistress. After they kill him, his body disappears and strange things start happening around them

The last frame of the film asks viewers not to give away the ending of the film so I won't (if you pay attention to the film, you're likely to figure it out anyway). This apparently is one of if not the first movie to incorporate different plot twists that we now find more commonplace today. The acting was excellent and the story will keep your attention from start to finish.

My first complaint has to go to Criterion; what's with the movie only disc? Where are the extras? Certainly something could have been put together for a film of this caliber! My other complaint isn't as bad but it has to do with the sound; Dolby Digital 1.0? I thought something was wrong with my system because the only speaker with sound was my center speaker; they could have at least converted it to 2.0.

• New, restored high-definition digital transfer
• New and improved English subtitle translation

This is a fun little film that has a lot going on. Even though the extras were nonexistent, the movie is certainly one that belongs in everyone's collection. Maybe Criterion will find the time in the future to give this movie the DVD release it deserves.

Jean Brochard - Plantiveau, le concierge

Georges Chamarat - Dr. Loisy

Véra Clouzot - Christina Delassalle

Robert Dalban - Le garagiste

Thérèse Dorny - Mme. Herboux

Pierre Larquey - M.Drain, professeur

Jean Lefebvre - Le soldat

Yves-Marie Maurin - Moinet, une jeune Moynet

Paul Meurisse - Michel Delassalle

Georges Poujouly - Soudieu, un élève

Noël Roquevert - M. Herboux

Michel Serrault - M. Raymond, le surveillant

Simone Signoret - Nicole Horner

Charles Vanel - Alfred Fichet, le commissaire

Jacques Varennes - M. Bridoux, professeur

IMDB
DVD Verdict