I saw 56, rue Pigalle last night and really enjoyed it. It's a rattling good story about blackmail and deceit, with a strong Catholic sense of morality. The lighting and camera angles make it really atmospheric and I was surprised that the finale was set in Africa (presumably Belgian Congo). The song Pigalle features some advanced visual techniques, like a kind of early pop video, and I love French music of that period anyway. The female star Marie Dea also appeared in Jean Cocteau's 'Orphee' the same year, and she is very pretty, in my opinion. The DVD I bought also features a duel between Willy Rozier (director) and a film critic who had criticised Marie Dea's performance. I had no idea people were still fighting duels (not to the death) as late as 1950!
Review of 56 rue Pigalle
