The Murderer Knows the Score (1963)
"L'assassin connaît la musique..." (original title)

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 ... See full summary »

Director:

Pierre Chenal

Writers:

Pierre Chenal, Fred Kassak (dialogue),

Stars:

Maria Schell, Paul Meurisse, Sylvie Bréal

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Maria Schell	...	Agnès Duvillard
Paul Meurisse	...	Lionel Fribourg
Sylvie Bréal	...	Marie-Josée Fribourg
Yvonne Clech	...	Graziella, la veuve
Fernand Guiot	...	Le commissaire
Christa Lang	...	Christine
Marcel Pérès	...	Le camionneur
Paul Demange	...	Le voisin qui se lève tôt
Pierre Sergeol	...	Le mécano
Jean Luisi	...	Le poseur de vitres
André Badin	...	L'assistant (as Badin)
Jacques Dufilho	...	Le docteur Hublot / Physician
Noël Roquevert	...	Le père Devillard
Claude Mann	...	Francis

Storyline

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 Agnes, a divorced woman who agrees to let him her quiet home. Lionel, full of hope, resumes work...

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Plot Keywords:

assassination | black comedy | based on novel

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Also Known As:

The Murderer Knows the Score

Company Credits

Production Co:

Général Productions, Hoche Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

User Reviews

Pierre Chenal's swansong...

A long career from the golden French thirties when he made commendable films noirs .Then a cosmopolitan filmography ,but only one masterpiece : "la Foire aux Chimères" which is still crying to be seen !

"L'Assassin Connait la Musique" is a black comedy,which was not new since Chenal had already transferred to the screen "Clochemerle" .

Taking back the ferocious anti-clericalism of "Clochemerle" ,Chenal calls it quit quite honorably.There's a lot of madness,farce and grand guignol in this last effort,which is fine with me.

Paul -"Diaboliques"-Meurisse portrays a virtuoso trying to compose a symphony,and he has got only three weeks to complete it.Near the apartment where he lives,there's a garage and it's a hammer symphony all day.He meets a divorcée (Maria Schell) who 's a real dumbbell,but,and this is crucial ,who owns a desirable property in the quiet cool country. But this bubble head woman is -apparently- a holier-than-thou person;besides her dear father(Noel Roquevert) is to come to stay with her pretty soon -and he too is a hammering mad!

Some lines are really hilarious ;When her little cousin (Claude Mann) wants to take her to the pictures ,she's horrified "Goin' to a show? just after dad's funeral?".But the gentle cousin lies her on her bed and begins to console her.And she innocently adds "That' s OK ,it's not a show that !"The headlines on the newspaper after her ex-husband 's death are very funny too "his horse takes fire and he gets drowned".As are a shrink 's (Jacques Dufilho)interventions : you CAN commit suicide by beating a hammer on your head!

75 min only and never a dull moment!Schell to her papa's murderer: "thanks to you,he'll go to Heaven!"