The Murderer Lives at Number 21 (1942)

Inspector Wens moves into a Paris boarding house to catch a serial killer.

Director:

Henri-Georges Clouzot (as H. G. Clouzot)

Writers:

Stanislas-André Steeman (novel) (as Mr. S.A. Steemann), Henri-Georges Clouzot (adaptation) (as H.G. Clouzot)

Stars:

Pierre Fresnay, Suzy Delair, Jean Tissier

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Pierre Fresnay	...	L'inspecteur Wenceslas Wens
Suzy Delair	...	Mila Malou - la maîtresse tapageuse de Wens
Jean Tissier	...	Triquet, aka professeur Lalah-Poor
Pierre Larquey	...	Monsieur Colin
Noël Roquevert	...	Docteur Théodore Linz
René Génin	...	Alfred, l'ivrogne
Jean Despeaux	...	Kid Robert
Marc Natol	...	Armand, le valet de chambre (as Natol)
Huguette Vivier	...	Mademoiselle Vania
Odette Talazac	...	Madame Point
Maximilienne	...	Mademoiselle Cuq
Sylvette Saugé	...	Christiane Perret, la poule
Louis Florencie	...	Commissaire Monnet
André Gabriello	...	L'agent Pussot (as Gabriello)
Raymond Bussières	...	Jean-Baptiste Turlot (as Bussières)

Storyline

Dapper Inspector Vorobechik ('Wens' for short) is assigned the case of a serial killer who leaves a calling card on his victims; Monsieur Durand. Wens' mistress, struggling actress Mila Malou, determines to get publicity for herself by helping him. Learning that Durand is one of the eccentric tenants of a boarding house at No. 21 Avenue Junot, Wens takes a room in the guise of a Protestant minister; only to be followed by Mila who hardly seems like a minister's wife! Suspects are arrested, but while each is in jail, there's another murder...

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Plot Keywords:

inspector | serial killer | murder | boarding house | black and white film | 

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Taglines:

PIERRE FRESNAY as the French Dick who knew all the answers in a Merry Murder Mystery

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

16 August 1947 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Murderer Lives at #21

Company Credits

Production Co:

Continental Films, Liote

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min 79 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System Wide Range)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The 100,000 francs reward for the capture of Durand was the equivalent of $88,417 at the time or about $1,300,000 in 2016.

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Goofs

Near the beginning of the film, before Wren's boss goes into his office looking for him, a clear shadow of the boom microphone is visible on the wall behind him in the hallway.

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Quotes

Mila Malou - la maîtresse tapageuse de Wens: [From the English subtitles of the French dialogue] I'll pop your blackheads to cheer you up.
L'inspecteur Wenceslas Wens: Leave me alone.
Mila Malou - la maîtresse tapageuse de Wens: Just one.
L'inspecteur Wenceslas Wens: Leave me alone!
Mila Malou - la maîtresse tapageuse de Wens: You're covered in them.
[She begins squeezing various places on his face]
Mila Malou - la maîtresse tapageuse de Wens: They'll get big and leave pocks...
L'inspecteur Wenceslas Wens: ...That hurts!
Mila Malou - la maîtresse tapageuse de Wens: Hold still. It's like vermicelli.
L'inspecteur Wenceslas Wens: You're disgusting.

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Connections

Follows The Last One of the Six (1941)

User Reviews

charming noir-ish comedy-thriller

This light murder mystery, with Pierre Fresnay as the cool detective and the delightful (if a bit overwhelming) Suzy Delair as his "sidekick," somewhat a la Nick & Nora Charles, is in style and casting (Fresnay, Pierre Larquey, Noel Roquevert), sexual tension, even theme - the ambiguity of criminal responsibility - a prelude to Clouzot's far more significant Le corbeau (1943). The Fresnay-Delair duo brings fresh air to the claustrophobic space of Vichy cinema.