As with all good noir fiction, this tale is told in first person narrative by Louise, a 17yo French girl, unhappy with her own mundane life, envies a As with all good noir fiction, this tale is told in first person narrative by Louise, a 17yo French girl, unhappy with her own mundane life, envies a wealthy American couple in the area, and inserts herself into their lives. And until the final twist at the end, you are never quite sure in which direction you are being led....more
".. what was better? to be a murderer or a gullible fool?.."
A mix-up of of cars and an encounter with an Englishwoman, Marjorie, sends Jean-Marie Vala".. what was better? to be a murderer or a gullible fool?.."
A mix-up of of cars and an encounter with an Englishwoman, Marjorie, sends Jean-Marie Valaise's world into a tail-spin. After a brief liaison, she returns home - he writes to her, he goes to her - is she there or not? A jealous husband, a dead body, an arrest.
"... every mystery is an illusion..."
Can Jean-Marie find his way out of the nightmare that follows.
What can I say - spellbinding. The way Dard writes is captivating - you are immediately captured and taken on a journey that is as long and winding asWhat can I say - spellbinding. The way Dard writes is captivating - you are immediately captured and taken on a journey that is as long and winding as the roads of the Spanish countryside.
Barcelona - a young woman throws herself in front of a car. Immediately the driver (French artist Daniel Mermet) is captivated - not only by her form but by the damaged violin lying close by. He rescues this obvious damsel in distress and takes her back to his hotel (he is holidaying in Spain) rather than to a hospital.
Daniel narrates the story of his love for the woman - who is suffering from amnesia - which is returned in equal force. He vows to discover her past and save her from whatever it is she was escaping.
But this is not your typical love story - and Dard creates the right amount of suspense as he slowly, almost teasingly, reveals the truth behind the mysterious Marianne's past life. What will happen when she finally remembers or when Daniel discovers the truth?...more
As with all good noir fiction, this tale is told in first person narrative by Louise, a 17yo French girl, unhappy with her own mundane life, envies a As with all good noir fiction, this tale is told in first person narrative by Louise, a 17yo French girl, unhappy with her own mundane life, envies a wealthy American couple in the area, and inserts herself into their lives. And until the final twist at the end, you are never quite sure in which direction you are being led.
"There are times when whether a man's a cop or a crook means nothing, times when it ceases to matter which side of the fence he's on. There aren't any"There are times when whether a man's a cop or a crook means nothing, times when it ceases to matter which side of the fence he's on. There aren't any fences anymore! We're just a couple of guys. Two poor saps adrift in the lowest depths of hell!"
Its a simple plot - two men, one a cop, one a crook. We don't know who is who except the cop has been sent to prison to get the crook, an alleged spy, to spill the beans. A prison break - two men on the run; an island; a woman.
The bulk of the story takes place whilst the two men are on the run and whilst they are in hiding. It is a dark, claustrophobic psychological drama filled with paranoia, mistrust, betrayal, petty jealousy, and a desperate need to survive.
The tale was originally written for the stage (1954), so the action is minimal and at times implied, which may not translate to well into the novel adapted two years later.
Classic French noir set in Paris in the 1960s. This is well executed and suspenseful, with enough plot twists and turns worthy of Hitchcock.
Narrated iClassic French noir set in Paris in the 1960s. This is well executed and suspenseful, with enough plot twists and turns worthy of Hitchcock.
Narrated in the first person by one Albert Herbin, who returns home on Christmas Eve, after a absence of six years. A chance encounter over dinner with a mother and her child sparks off a strange series of events, which finds our man plumb centre in the middle of a murder. The crime is staged brilliantly and now Albert, the perfect pawn (or patsy), finds himself living within some sort of paranoid nightmare, where nobody is quite as they seem.
The story is more about plot and action rather than character development - so don't expect to learn too much about the protagonists. Enjoy the tale for what it is - the story of a man trapped within a prison of his own making.
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