Garde à vue (1981)

A police inspector, suspecting an attorney of two child sex murders, has him held for a questioning session that goes on for hours.

Director:

Claude Miller

Writers:

John Wainwright (novel), Claude Miller,

Stars:

Lino Ventura, Michel Serrault, Romy Schneider

6 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Lino Ventura	...	Inspector Antoine Gallien
Michel Serrault	...	Jerome, Charles, Emile Martinaud
Romy Schneider	...	Chantal Martinaud
Guy Marchand	...	Inspector Marcel Belmont
Didier Agostini	...	Young policeman
Patrick Depeyrrat	...	Policeman
Pierre Maguelon	...	Adami
Annie Miller	...	La mère de Camille
Serge Malik	...	Le mécanicien
Jean-Claude Penchenat	...	Divisional Commissioner
Yves Pignot	...	Policeman
Mathieu Schiffman	...	Le fils Berthier
Michel Such	...	Jean-Marie Jabelain
Elsa Lunghini	...	Camille
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mohammed Bekireche	...	Arab

Storyline

Inspector Gallien is investigating the rape and murder of two little girls. The only suspect is attorney Jerome Martinaud, but the evidence against him is circumstantial. As the city celebrates New Year's Eve, Gallien calls Martinaud to his office and interrogates him for hour after hour while Martinaud continues to maintain his innocence. We learn all about the evidence; we meet Martinaud's wife and learn all about the rift between the two; but will we, and Gallien, finally learn whether Martinaud is guilty?

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Plot Keywords:

murder | police | suspect | questioning | new year's eve | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

23 September 1981 (France)

Also Known As:

The Grilling

Filming Locations:

Hôtel Royal Monceau - 35 Avenue Hoche, Paris 8, Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films Ariane, TF1 Films Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Entirely shot in studio (with the exception of one sequence in a hotel) and in chronological order.

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Connections

Remade as Under Suspicion (2000)

User Reviews

Excellent performances, weak plot.

Though the story is essentially routine, and the "surprise" ending is nothing but a bad joke on the audience, you can see what attracted these good actors to the project - it offers them the kind of roles in which good actors can shine, and shine they do. The film is impeccably made - for its time. It was remade in 2000 as "Under Suspicion" and if you only want to see one version of the story (that's all it deserves, really), I recommend the latter one, with Hopkins' up-to-date direction and the more explicit references to plot points that the original could only hint at. The ending, however, still blows. (**1/2)