A Legitimate Defense (1958)
"En légitime défense" (original title)

Pierre Lambert buys a bar in Pigalle and accepts to pay "protection money" to "Bébert le Caïd", a brutal gangster. Over time, Bébert raises his fare and, realizing Pierrot is reluctant to ... See full summary »

Director:

André Berthomieu

Writers:

André Berthomieu (screenplay), André Berthomieu (story),

Stars:

Bernard Blier, Philippe Nicaud, Maria Mauban

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bernard Blier	...	L'inspecteur Gustave Martinet
Philippe Nicaud	...	Pierre 'Pierrot' Lambert
Maria Mauban	...	Dora
Pierre Mondy	...	Petit Bob
Gisèle Robert	...	Marcelle
Robert Dalban	...	Albert dit 'Bébert le Caïd'
Daniel Cauchy	...	Dédé
Rosy Varte	...	Rita
Jean Lara	...	L'avocat de Pierrot
François Darbon	...	L'avocat général
Monique Tanguy	...	Ginette
Paul Bonifas	...	Le président de la cour
Léonce Corne	...	Baudin
Mona Dol	...	La mère de Dora
Georges Hubert	...	Le commissaire de police

Storyline

Pierre Lambert buys a bar in Pigalle and accepts to pay "protection money" to "Bébert le Caïd", a brutal gangster. Over time, Bébert raises his fare and, realizing Pierrot is reluctant to pay more, starts persecuting him. In the midst of an altercation with Bébert, Pierre kills him in self-defense. In a panic he goes to see Gustave Martinet, a police inspector, who has been his best friend since Pierre saved his life during the war. Gustaves advises him to turn himself over to the police, which he does. At the trial Pierre is acquitted but the mob does not forgive so easily...

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Plot Keywords:

pigalle paris | legitimate defense

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

11 June 1958 (France)

Also Known As:

A Legitimate Defense

Filming Locations:

Pigalle, Paris 9, Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Films Paul Wagner, Les Films Fernand Rivers, Les Productions Rene Modiano

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

French visa # 20445

User Reviews

A taut french film noir.

This little gem is far more than a drama. It's a real french film noir set in Paris By Night, in the Pigalle district, the tourists in Paris know very well...

It tells the story of a bar owner who has to deal with racketeers. One night, he kills one of them in self defense. So he has to run, because he doesn't want to be accused of an ordinary murder. But he is friend with a cop - Bernard Blier - a man whom he saved life during the war. The cop brings his pal to justice, and to his trial. A fair one, as he promises to his friend. And during the trial, even the victim's friends, hoods of course, come to testify FOR the accused, and not against him, as we could expect. Do you know why? To get the accused discharge, so that... You guess the following...

As I saw this very scheme in CONTRE ENQUETE, made in 2006, starring Jean Dujardin.

I won't get any further about EN LEGITIME DEFENSE. The climax, in a garage, is exciting. It reminds me Joseph Pevney's SIX BRIDGES TO CROSS, starring Tony Curtis, or maybe I confound with another item. An American one.

Anyway, this little french thriller is perhaps old fashioned, with french slang from the fifties, but it is certainly not charmless.