Rare, obscure film version of David Goodis' novel has lawyer Juan Milford (Maurice Ronet) wanting to run away with exotic dancer Diana Lander. Unfortunately, he's also a kept, married man by wealthy older woman Amanda Merlino de Milford who promises to provide evidence of his criminal past to the police if he ever leaves her. One evening, when Juan is drinking at a bar, a drunk, panhandles some money for train fare and asks him for a ride to the station. The next morning, a body is found on the railroad tracks, completely destroyed beyond recognition but with a suicide note signed by Juan. Which poses the question - Can a dead man be accused of murdering his live wife? So begins French director Pierre Chenal's (LE DERNIER TOURNANT) bizarre Latin parboiled cross between DOUBLE IMDEMNITY and LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN with a lead actress who's a Latin dead ringer for Joan Crawford in a truly psychopathic performance. And like most of Goodis' stories (THE BURGLAR, DARK PASSAGE, SHOOT THE PIANO PLAYER, NIGHTFALL, STREET OF NO RETURN) the initial crime is just the starting point for multiple twists and turns in the plot. External filming on location in Buenos Aries.
Review of Section des disparus
