A film producer on the French Riviera finds himself caught in an elaborate trap when his on-set affair turns into a murder case that keeps shifting shape. With evidence stacking up against him and the “truth” changing by the minute, he has to outthink both the police and the person orchestrating the frame-up before he loses everything.
Genre: Mystery, thriller
Director: John Guillermin
John Guillermin (1925–2015) was a British (French-born, London-raised) director who began in the British film industry in the late 1940s and built a reputation for tight, efficient thrillers and action pictures. After a run of UK features in the 1950s (including crime and courtroom dramas), he moved into larger international productions and later became known for big-budget spectacle and adventure, directing films such as The Towering Inferno (1974), King Kong (1976), and Death on the Nile (1978). He was respected for brisk pacing and technical control, and also known in the industry as a demanding perfectionist.
Star Cast:
- Stewart Granger as Max Poulton
- Donna Reed as Carol Poulton
- George Sanders as Hugh Carliss
- Gianna Maria Canale as Gina Bertini
- Peter Dyneley as Willy Reichel
- John Van Eyssen as Archer
- Michael Shillo as Inspector Simon
- Richard Molinas as Gilbert
Contemporary reviews tended to land in the “solid but not essential” zone. Reviewers often praised the professional pace and the cast’s ability to sell the twists, while also noting that the mechanics of the plot could feel strained or overly contrived once the story’s trick structure reveals itself. Overall, it played as a polished, mid-range mystery thriller rather than a major prestige release.
Fun Facts:
- The film is adapted from Philip Mackie’s 1955 stage play of the same name.
- It was produced by Jack Clayton (who would soon gain major acclaim for Room at the Top).
- Although set around Riviera filmmaking glamour, much of the production was done in the UK, with some location work in France.
- Donna Reed was not the first announced choice for the wife role; an earlier casting plan was later changed.
- Stewart Granger later described the film as a fairly routine whodunit in his memoirs, offering a candid (and not especially flattering) view of the production experience.
- The score was composed by Mischa Spoliansky, a prolific composer with deep roots in European cabaret and cinema music.
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