The Paris Express (1952)

A Dutch company's owner bankrupts his own company, burns the incriminating ledgers and plans to run to Paris with the company payroll but he is caught in the act by his accountant who challenges his actions, leading to a reversal of roles.

Director:

Harold French

Writers:

Georges Simenon (novel), Harold French (screenplay)

Stars:

Claude Rains, Märta Torén, Marius Goring

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Claude Rains	...	Kees Popinga
Märta Torén	...	Michele Rozier
Marius Goring	...	Lucas
Herbert Lom	...	Julius de Koster, Jr.
Anouk Aimée	...	Jeanne, The Prostitute (as Anouk)
Felix Aylmer	...	Mr. Merkemans
Ferdy Mayne	...	Louis
MacDonald Parke	...	Chicago Businessman
Lucie Mannheim	...	Maria Popinga
Eric Pohlmann	...	Goin
Gibb McLaughlin	...	Julius de Koster, Sr
Michael Nightingale	...	Popinga's Clerk
Robin Alalouf	...	Karl Popinga
Joan St. Clair	...	Frida Popinga
Michael Alain	...	Dutch Train Conductor

Storyline

Meek head clerk Kees Popinga realises at the same time as the police that owner De Koster has stripped his Dutch company clean because of his infatuation with a Parisian girl, Michelle. After a confrontation between the two men, De Koster ends up dead and Popinga makes off to Paris with the remaining money. There he contacts Michelle, with the police in close pursuit.

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Plot Keywords:

british noir | vacant lot | death | murder | employer employee relationship | 

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Taglines:

A Non-Stop Suspense Thriller

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 June 1953 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Paris Express

Filming Locations:

Nettlefold Studios, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Josef Shaftel Productions Inc.,Raymond Stross Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Initially actor Glenn Ford tried to produce this in 1950 with Hildegard Knef in the female lead.

User Reviews

Fascinatingly Simenon

As comes across in so many of his Maigret stories, Georges Simenon always loved to depict how any group or locality was characterized by its own particular attitudes and social mores. In this tale of two cities, Simenon has matched unsophisticated dull respectable Protestant Groningen in the northern Netherlands against wicked exciting corrupting Paris. This contrast (though set out less clearly than in the novel) establishes the context for the movie.

Good-natured earnest Kees Popinga (Claude Rains) exemplifies Groningen. His boss Julius de Koster (Herbert Lom), seduced by Parisien temptress Michele (Marta Toren), bankrupts his firm and flees, only to meet his death. Fearing suspicion of murder and with a growing taste for adventure, Kees finds himself en route to Paris with de Koster's stolen money to seek out Michele. Sympathetic Paris cop Lucas (Marius Goring) pursues Kees wanting to save him from a further fall from grace.

This prelude sets the stage for all that is to follow. Must Kees fall victim to the treacherous Michele? to her dangerous lover Louis (Ferdy Maine)? or to the progressively corrupting influence of Paris? Or can the innate goodness of Kees redeem Michele? And can Lucas prevent a tragedy? The acting is of a high quality. We care about the outcome and our concern for Kees sustains our suspense. We are kept guessing to the last.