Although the French made some terrific film noir movies, in some cases it's more than just the language that makes them different from their American counterparts. Take "The Night Affair", for example. It has a plot that NEVER would have been used in an American film of the day--unless major changes had been made in the plot. Keep reading and I think you'll agree.
The film stars Jean Gabin as a police detective. This surprised me a bit, as in almost all the films I've seen him in, he's played a bad guy--a career criminal, a dangerous psychotic or a guy on the run from the law. However, the role seemed less surprising when I saw what sort of cop he was, as his moral compass was a bit impaired. This is apparent when he meets a very pretty lady who turns out to be a prostitute. He sleeps with her and the next day notices the tell-tale signs that she is a drug addict. Instead of dropping her or perhaps arresting her, however, he spends the rest of the movie running interference for her--even when it appears she might have committed murder.
As I said above, the plot is NOT like an American film noir. While cops COULD be evil or have a misdirected ethical base, sleeping with a junkie is not something you're going to see in a 1950s American film.
Now my comments are not necessarily a complaint. The film is well made and somewhat interesting--though it does drag a bit as the film progresses. It's worth seeing--mostly because Gabin's performance is his usual effortless and graceful job.
The film stars Jean Gabin as a police detective. This surprised me a bit, as in almost all the films I've seen him in, he's played a bad guy--a career criminal, a dangerous psychotic or a guy on the run from the law. However, the role seemed less surprising when I saw what sort of cop he was, as his moral compass was a bit impaired. This is apparent when he meets a very pretty lady who turns out to be a prostitute. He sleeps with her and the next day notices the tell-tale signs that she is a drug addict. Instead of dropping her or perhaps arresting her, however, he spends the rest of the movie running interference for her--even when it appears she might have committed murder.
As I said above, the plot is NOT like an American film noir. While cops COULD be evil or have a misdirected ethical base, sleeping with a junkie is not something you're going to see in a 1950s American film.
Now my comments are not necessarily a complaint. The film is well made and somewhat interesting--though it does drag a bit as the film progresses. It's worth seeing--mostly because Gabin's performance is his usual effortless and graceful job.