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En légitime défense

  • 19581958
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
44
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
290,624
89,611
En légitime défense (1958)
Drama
Pierre Lambert buys a bar in Pigalle and accepts to pay "protection money" to "Bébert le Caïd", a brutal gangster. Over time, Bébert raises his fare and, realizing Pierrot is reluctant to pa... Read allPierre Lambert buys a bar in Pigalle and accepts to pay "protection money" to "Bébert le Caïd", a brutal gangster. Over time, Bébert raises his fare and, realizing Pierrot is reluctant to pay more, starts persecuting him. In the midst of an altercation with Bébert, Pierre kills h... Read allPierre Lambert buys a bar in Pigalle and accepts to pay "protection money" to "Bébert le Caïd", a brutal gangster. Over time, Bébert raises his fare and, realizing Pierrot is reluctant to pay more, starts persecuting him. In the midst of an altercation with Bébert, Pierre kills him in self-defense. In a panic he goes to see Gustave Martinet, a police inspector, who ha... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.8/10
44
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
290,624
89,611
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • André Berthomieu
    • Writers
      • André Berthomieu(story)
      • Frédéric Dard(dialogue)
    • Stars
      • Bernard Blier
      • Pierre Mondy
      • Philippe Nicaud
    Top credits
    • Director
      • André Berthomieu
    • Writers
      • André Berthomieu(story)
      • Frédéric Dard(dialogue)
    • Stars
      • Bernard Blier
      • Pierre Mondy
      • Philippe Nicaud
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 2User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos

    En légitime défense (1958)
    En légitime défense (1958)
    Bernard Blier in En légitime défense (1958)
    En légitime défense (1958)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bernard Blier
    Bernard Blier
    • L'inspecteur Gustave Martinet
    Pierre Mondy
    Pierre Mondy
    • Petit Bob
    Philippe Nicaud
    • Pierre 'Pierrot' Lambert
    Maria Mauban
    • Dora
    Monique Tanguy
    • Ginette
    Daniel Cauchy
    Daniel Cauchy
    • Dédé
    Rosy Varte
    • Rita
    Robert Dalban
    Robert Dalban
    • Albert dit 'Bébert le Caïd'
    Paul Bonifas
    Paul Bonifas
    • Le président de la cour
    Léonce Corne
    • Baudin
    François Darbon
    • L'avocat général
    Jean Lara
    • L'avocat de Pierrot
    Pierre Doris
    • Le patron de Dora…
    Georges Hubert
    • Le commissaire de police
    Abel Jores
    Jean-Jacques Lesaffre
      Albert Médina
      Henri Coutet
        • Director
          • André Berthomieu
        • Writers
          • André Berthomieu(story)
          • Frédéric Dard(dialogue)
        • All cast & crew
        • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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        Storyline

        Edit

        Did you know

        Edit
        • Trivia
          The role of Dora was signed by Barbara Laage and she did work on the film for a few days but she was hospitalized for a surgical operation and replaced by Maria Mauban.
        • Soundtracks
          Paris Ville Idéale
          Performed by Annie Fratellini

        User reviews2

        Review
        Top review
        A taut french film noir.
        This little gem is far more than a drama. It's a real french film noir set in Paris By Night, in the Pigalle district, the tourists in Paris know very well...

        It tells the story of a bar owner who has to deal with racketeers. One night, he kills one of them in self defense. So he has to run, because he doesn't want to be accused of an ordinary murder. But he is friend with a cop - Bernard Blier - a man whom he saved life during the war. The cop brings his pal to justice, and to his trial. A fair one, as he promises to his friend. And during the trial, even the victim's friends, hoods of course, come to testify FOR the accused, and not against him, as we could expect. Do you know why? To get the accused discharge, so that... You guess the following...

        As I saw this very scheme in CONTRE ENQUETE, made in 2006, starring Jean Dujardin.

        I won't get any further about EN LEGITIME DEFENSE. The climax, in a garage, is exciting. It reminds me Joseph Pevney's SIX BRIDGES TO CROSS, starring Tony Curtis, or maybe I confound with another item. An American one.

        Anyway, this little french thriller is perhaps old fashioned, with french slang from the fifties, but it is certainly not charmless.
        helpful•0
        0
        • searchanddestroy-1
        • Jan 23, 2011

        Details

        Edit
        • Release date
          • June 11, 1958 (France)
        • Country of origin
          • France
        • Language
          • French
        • Also known as
          • A Legitimate Defense
        • Filming locations
          • Pigalle, Paris 9, Paris, France
        • Production companies
          • Films Paul Wagner
          • Les Films Fernand Rivers
          • Les Productions Rene Modiano
        • See more company credits at IMDbPro

        Technical specs

        Edit
        • Runtime
          1 hour 38 minutes
        • Color
          • Black and White
        • Sound mix
          • Mono
        • Aspect ratio
          • 1.37 : 1

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