Le furet (1950)

A mysterious "Le Furet" (the Ferret) sends letters to the Parisian Police telling them when murders are going to be perpetrated, and in which Paris district. Each time nothing is stolen, ... See full summary »

Director:

Raymond Leboursier

Writers:

Raymond Leboursier (adaptation), Raymond Leboursier (dialogue)

Stars:

Jany Holt, Colette Darfeuil, Pierre Renoir

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jany Holt	...	Cécile
Colette Darfeuil	...	Louise Heller
Pierre Renoir	...	Le docteur Darvel-Juste
Jacqueline Delubac	...	Madame de Lanier
Jean-Max	...	Nick Jumeau (as Jean Max)
Jean Servais	...	Stadler
Jacques Baumer	...	Commissaire Hyacinthe
Jean Martinelli	...	Moncey
Antonin Berval	...	L'inspecteur Vignolles (as Berval)
Jean-Jacques Delbo	...	Ludovic (as Jean Jacques Delbo)
Alexandre Rignault	...	Jeuniot
Jean Tissier	...	Monsieur de Thomaz
Pierre Larquey	...	Monsieur Thiais
Marguerite Deval	...	Madame Chapuis
Annette Poivre	...	Marthe Belair

Storyline

A mysterious "Le Furet" (the Ferret) sends letters to the Parisian Police telling them when murders are going to be perpetrated, and in which Paris district. Each time nothing is stolen, but money is somehow involved in inheritance,love blackmail,academic competition and jealousy,crime of passion,poison by woman,etc. After a street accident, they even catch a man with the letters ready to be posted but he claims to be only a clairvoyant. Each time the Police frames the wrong person and it's only after the sixth crime they seem to start to come out of their routine with the arrival of Mr.Wens who finds a corpse buried in the barn of a taxidermist.The other suspects are then released. The "professor Star", the clairvoyant sees in his crystal ball a crime in an oncoming train. The Police goes to the station but the woman is not dead.Then he sees a crazy woman set fire to a house and it's true. Star is released and all this has brought him fame, and fortune. Who is the killer? Will ...

---

Plot Keywords:

murder of an old woman | criminal investigation | police commissioner | police inspector | france | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Drama

---

User Reviews

Crimes for Sale

"Le Furet" is another film based on a Stanislas -Andre Steeman novel (Clouzot's "Quai Des Orfevres" and "L'Assassin Habite Au 21" and even "Le Dernier Des Six ,directed by Lacombe but the screenplay of which written by Clouzot again).Monsieur Wens was Steeman's Hercule Poirot.He was first portrayed by Pierre FResnay (three movies) but the actor saw the danger (Sean Connery would face the same problem with James Bond) and turned down a fourth Wens.

In this film,Wens (oddly pronounced in an English way)is played by an actor who sank into oblivion ,and anyway ,his appearances are few and far between (about 20 minutes;in the whole film,that is),and it's a wonder he can single-handedly solve the riddle .Steeman's novel was rather complex and some people who did not read it might find it hard to catch up with the plot.We can dream of the nasty movie Clouzot would have made.Leboursier has not his skills,his genius ,and his film is lackluster .Only the scene featuring Jean Servais and Jany Holt retains some substance (although less S/M than in the book ,Margo Lion's part as the sister having been underwritten).

Based on the book "Crimes A Vendre" (my title is its translation)

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

10 February 1950 (France)

Also Known As:

Crimes à vendre

Company Credits

Production Co:

Société Parisienne d'Art Technique

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1