
Quai Des Orfèvres. 1947. France. Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. Written by Clouzot, Jean Ferry. Based on the novel Légitime défense by Stanislas A. Steeman. With Louis Jouvet, Suzy Delair, Bernard Blier. In French; English subtitles. 35mm. 106 min.
When a kinky old movie financier is found murdered, the prime suspect is pathologically jealous Bernard Blier, whose flirtatious wife, music hall chanteuse Jenny Lamour, was known to dally with the old codger. Enter Inspector Louis Jouvet of Quai des orfèvres, France’s Scotland Yard. Briefly released in the US as Jenny Lamour, Quai des Orfèvres was virtually unseen and unknown here until Rialto’s 2002 release. In order to accurately translate the French police and underworld argot into English, subtitler Lenny Borger conferred with former criminal defense attorney and retired NYC judge Edwin Torres, author of Carlito’s Way.