Retour de manivelle (1957)

What do you do when you want to commit suicide whereas you have just had the suicide clause cancelled from your insurance contract ? Just ask your wife ! What do you do when the attractive ... See full summary »

Director:

Denys de La Patellière

Writers:

Michel Audiard (dialogue), James Hadley Chase (novel),

Stars:

Michèle Morgan, Daniel Gélin, Michèle Mercier

Cast

Credited cast:
Michèle Morgan	...	Hélène Fréminger
Daniel Gélin	...	Robert Montillon
Michèle Mercier	...	Jeanne
François Chaumette	...	Charles Babin
Pierre Leproux	...	M. Bost, le créancier
Jean Olivier	...	L' inspecteur-adjoint (as Jean Ollivier)
Hélène Roussel	...	Une secrétaire
Peter van Eyck	...	Eric Fréminger
Bernard Blier	...	Le commissaire Plantavin
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arras	...	Duke, Eric's dog
Olivier Darrieux	...	Un inspecteur
Lucien Frégis	...	Le gendarme
Clara Gansard
Anne Gardel
Guy Tréjan	...	Undetermined Role

Storyline

What do you do when you want to commit suicide whereas you have just had the suicide clause cancelled from your insurance contract ? Just ask your wife ! What do you do when the attractive new chauffeur surprises you in the process of distorting the truth ? Just make him your lover! But beware : even the most elaborate schemes can backfire !

---

Plot Keywords:

foreign language adaptation | based on novel

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

French

Release Date:

18 September 1957 (France)

Also Known As:

There's Always a Price Tag

Filming Locations:

Côte d'Azur, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinematografica Associati (CI.AS.), Intermondia Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michèle (hired as Jocelyne) Mercier's first film.

User Reviews

There's always a price tag.

This is the title of Hadley Chase's novel which was transferred to the screen by Denys de la Patellière who made turkeys by the dozen.Nevertheless,"retour de manivelle" (=it'll backfire on them)might probably be his finest hour,relatively speaking.This movie is suspenseful,absorbing and it never loses steam.

First the screenplay:it's a model of film noir:the suicide clause was canceled from Morgan's hubby's insurance contract.And he does commit suicide.Before dying,he tells her the only way to get the dough is to use the well known suicide made to look like a crime.But you know ,they were not really in love and she had become the chauffeur's lover.The lovebirds will run into difficulties when they apply the husband's suggested ominous plan.

Then ,the cast:Michele Morgan is wonderful as a gorgeous not-so-merry widow ;"I've always been bought" she keeps on saying.She is more than fed up with men.It's quite possible that sexual relations may become something loathsome to her.Daniel Gélin is as effective as a naive chauffeur .A superb supporting cast includes Peter Van Eyck as the "dear" departed ,Bernard Blier-strangely ,his name does not appear in the cast and credits,but at the end of the movie.I do not understand why.Maybe an user will explain it some day- as a smart ironical captain,and Michèle Mercier in her pre-Angelique days.

Fine witty lines by Michel Audiard.Recommended to films noirs buffs.