Just a great movie - instantly entrenching itself in my personal top-50 of all time. Scores high points on acting, atmosphere and plot.
My advice to fellow moviegoers: see it. And should you have any reservations over watching this 50s, subtitled, noir masterpiece, put them aside. Specifically: If you didn't enjoy Clouzot's "The Wages of Fear", don't worry: this is an entirely different animal. I wasn't a big fan of "Fear", either. If you're put off by the comparisons to Hitchcock, believe me: they are warranted. The point is not that Clouzot is a better director than Hitchcock, the point is that this is the best movie Hitchock never made. And if you think the first 30 minutes lack pace, keep it up: this is a movie that turns the screw slowly but surely - going from interesting to intriguing to suspenseful - with a final 15 minutes that are downright terrifying and pay off in a big way.
My advice to fellow moviegoers: see it. And should you have any reservations over watching this 50s, subtitled, noir masterpiece, put them aside. Specifically: If you didn't enjoy Clouzot's "The Wages of Fear", don't worry: this is an entirely different animal. I wasn't a big fan of "Fear", either. If you're put off by the comparisons to Hitchcock, believe me: they are warranted. The point is not that Clouzot is a better director than Hitchcock, the point is that this is the best movie Hitchock never made. And if you think the first 30 minutes lack pace, keep it up: this is a movie that turns the screw slowly but surely - going from interesting to intriguing to suspenseful - with a final 15 minutes that are downright terrifying and pay off in a big way.