Domanda di Grazia (1954)
Directed by Jean Delannoy
Sub-Genres - Post-Noir (Modern Noir), Psychological Thriller |
Run Time - 103 min. |
Countries - France |
MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
The French/Italian Obsession was based on a novel by American suspense writer William Irish (aka Cornell Woolrich). Michelle Morgan and Raf Vallone are carnival performers, touring the provinces with a successful trapeze act. Though Morgan knows that Vallone is on the lam from a murder charge, she marries him anyway. When Vallone is sidelined by an injury, he is replaced by handsome young aerialist Jean Gaven, an unsuspecting friend of the man Vallone killed. Gaven is himself bumped off before long, prompting the disillusioned Morgan to turn over Vallone to the authorities. As it turns out, we're in Postman Always Rings Twice territory: Vallone didn't kill Gaven, but by the time the guilty party confesses, the police have confirmed that Vallone was responsible for the earlier murder.
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Themes
Keywords
trapeze-artist, confession [criminal], injury, marriage, murder, obsession