Casque d'Or (1952)

Three gangsters and an ex-con carpenter all fall for the same beautiful, golden-haired woman in Belle Époque France.

Director:

Jacques Becker

Writers:

Jacques Becker (scenario), Jacques Companéez (scenario)

Stars:

Simone Signoret, Serge Reggiani, Claude Dauphin

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Simone Signoret	...	Marie 'Casque d'Or'
Serge Reggiani	...	Georges Manda
Claude Dauphin	...	Félix Leca
Raymond Bussières	...	Raymond
Odette Barencey	...	La mère d'Eugène
Loleh Bellon	...	Léonie Danard
Solange Certin
Daniel Mendaille	...	Le patron de la guinguette / Guinguette
Dominique Davray	...	Julie
Jacqueline Dane
Paul Barge	...	L'inspecteur Juliani / Police Insp. Giuliani
Paul Azaïs	...	Ponsard
Jean Clarieux	...	Paul
Tony Corteggiani	...	Le commissaire / Superintendent
Émile Genevois	...	Billy (as Emile Genevois)

Storyline

In an open-air dance hall, the members of Leca's gang are relaxing with their ladies. One of them, Marie, aka "Casque d'Or" (Golden Helmet) meets Manda, a carpenter. Her man Roland belongs to the jealous kind, and Leca himself has his eye on her. A story of love, death, friendship and jealousy during the Belle Epoque.

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Plot Keywords:

ex convict | black and white | black and white film | underworld | paris underworld | 

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Taglines:

L'histoire d'une femme dont chaque amour fut...

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

18 August 1952 (USA)

Also Known As:

Casque d'Or

Filming Locations:

Quartier de la Goutte d'Or, Paris 18, Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Robert et Raymond Hakim, Spéva Films, Paris Film Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Optiphone)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film is part of the Criterion Collection, spine #270.

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Quotes

Roland Dupuis: Check out the girl in white. I'd put it to the bitch!

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Connections

Referenced in Un jour, un destin: Yves Montand: Les secrets d'une vie (2008)

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Soundtracks

Sobre Las Olas
(uncredited)
Written by Juventino Rosas
[This waltz plays in the scene where Georges Manda and Marie first meet]

User Reviews

a Renoir painting, the beautiful Signoret

Simone Signoret and Serge Reggiani star in "Casque d'Or," a 1952 film also starring Claude Dauphin and William Sabatier.

Signoret plays Marie, the kept woman of a good-looking gangster, Roland (Sabatier), but she is also desired by the gang's boss Felix Leca (Dauphin). One night she is introduced to Manda (Reggiani), a carpenter who, after a prison term, is trying to go straight. The two have an instant attraction, which angers the jealous Roland. After a fight in which Roland is killed, Leca sees a way to get rid of Manda too. But Marie steps in, and the result is tragedy.

This is a beautifully photographed film that takes place in the 1890s, the Belle Epoque. Signoret is the beautiful center of a story about passion and love, as well as the lives of women back then at the hands of their keepers, and the brutality. Jacques Becker frames each scene magnificently.

Signoret wasn't in any way a typical star by Hollywood standards. She had a raw sexuality and sensuality, a voluptuous figure, and an earthy presence that gave her the edge over all of them. Each film she was in was elevated by her presence. You can well believe all three of the men in this film desired her.

Highly recommended.