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Desarrol is based on the highly regarded Sardou stage drama Odette. A classic example of Sardou's "well made play," the story concerns the amorous escapades of a carefree rake. The doleful ending of the piece is all the more powerful because the audience is thoroughly unprepared for it. Paul Achard heads an excellent cast of French performers, effortlessly shifting from farce to drama at the wink of an eye. To avoid confusion with the unrelated 1951 British film Odette, Desarrol was titled Distress for its English-language release.