Retour de manivelle (1957) Poster

(1957)

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7/10
There's always a price tag.
dbdumonteil3 September 2005
This is the title of Hadley Chase's novel which was transferred to the screen by Denys de la Patellière who made turkeys by the dozen.Nevertheless,"retour de manivelle" (=it'll backfire on them)might probably be his finest hour,relatively speaking.This movie is suspenseful,absorbing and it never loses steam.

First the screenplay:it's a model of film noir:the suicide clause was canceled from Morgan's hubby's insurance contract.And he does commit suicide.Before dying,he tells her the only way to get the dough is to use the well known suicide made to look like a crime.But you know ,they were not really in love and she had become the chauffeur's lover.The lovebirds will run into difficulties when they apply the husband's suggested ominous plan.

Then ,the cast:Michele Morgan is wonderful as a gorgeous not-so-merry widow ;"I've always been bought" she keeps on saying.She is more than fed up with men.It's quite possible that sexual relations may become something loathsome to her.Daniel Gélin is as efficient as a naive chauffeur .A superb supporting cast includes Peter Van Eyck as the "dear" departed ,Bernard Blier-strangely ,his name does not appear in the cast and credits,but at the end of the movie.I do not understand why.Maybe an user will explain it some day- as a smart ironical captain,and Michèle Mercier in her pre-Angelique days.

Fine witty lines by Michel Audiard.Recommended to films noirs buffs.
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8/10
One for the purists?
brogmiller23 November 2019
I am sure this adaptatation of James Hadley Chase's 'There's always a Price Tag' will be enjoyed by Chase purists, assuming such beings exist! Director Denys de la Patelliere will never reside in the Pantheon of film 'Greats' but here everything works. The score, production design, editing and cinematography are excellent. Michel Audiard, one of the best in the business, contributes the dialogue. None of the characters is one-dimensional and all of the performances extremely good, notably Michele Morgan as a subtle 'femme fatale' and Peter van Eyck in a sympathetic portayal as her hapless husband. Another excellent performance by Bernard Blier as the detective. Interesting also to see the delighful Michele Mercier in her first credited role. She would once again work with this director in the sixties in 'God's Thunder' when she attempted, unsuccessfully, to break free from the curse of 'Angelique'. There are a few contrivances that are faintly ludicrous such as the man from Lloyds of London strolling in with damning evidence just as the police are trying to pin a motive for murder on the chauffeur, played by Daniel Gelin. This is still however a first class film noir in which typical French finesse and good taste are allied with a characteristically French emphasis on character rather than plot.
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6/10
An Inspector Calls
boblipton6 July 2020
Peter van Eyck is so drunk he almost gets run over by a car. Fortunately, Daniel Gélin grabs him, then drives him to his estate in van Eyck's Cadillac convertible. Van Eyck offers him a job, and Gélin accepts. Then van Eyck's wife, Michèle Morgan tries to fire him, but fails. Meanwhile, van Eyck gets ousted from his position at his company, and decides to kill himself. As a joke, he cancels the clause in his insurance policy that lets his beneficiary collect even though he kills himself; so Mme. Morgan devises an elaborate plan to convince the authorities that he was killed by his former business associates.

It's tough, sexy, French film noir, with Gélin hot for stony-faced femme fatale Morgan, while carrying on an affair with Michèle Mercier in her first screen role. Everything seems to be working out according to Mme. Morgan's sadistic little plan.... and then inspector Bernard Blier comes to investigate the killing.

There's little that's novel in Denys de La Patellière's film; he was never considered a great auteur, but was a solid commercial film maker in the pre-Nouvelle Vague era. The parts are put together well in that gloomy magical-realism way, the actors are top-notch, and if it runs a trifle long at just shy of two hours, I didn't notice.
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9/10
For whom the ticking clock tolls.
hitchcockthelegend24 March 2014
Retour de manivelle (There's Always a Price Tag) is written and directed by Denys de La Patelliere. It stars Michele Morgan, Daniel Gelin, Michele Mercier, Bernard Blier, Peter van Eyck and Clara Gansard. Music is by Maurice Thiriet and cinematography by Pierre Montazel.

Adapted from James Hadley Chase's novel, plot finds Robert Mabillon (Gelin) as a struggling artist who saves Eric Freminger (van Eyck) from a drunken suicide attempt, and promptly gets offered employment as a chauffeur by way of gratitude. Once back at the Freminger residence, Robert finds Eric is a severely depressed man with a host of problems. And then Helene Freminger (Morgan) arrives on the scene, hostile, suspicious but ever so sultry, it's the kick-start of events that can only lead to misery – or worse – for all involved.

As the first American film noir cycle was winding down, a band of French film makers were picking up the barely alight torch and pouring petroleum on it, carrying it with some distinction well into the 1960s. Denys de La Patelliere's Retour de manivelle is a superior piece of French noir, containing all the traits and peccadilloes of its American cousins.

Robert Mabillon instinctively commits a heroic act, his thanks for such a wonderful gesture? Is a kick in the face by fate, where he's thrust into a muddy film noir infected world of deadly passions, suicide, criminal cover ups and a scam so daring it can only lead to more pain and life altering misery.

Sizzle, sizzle, the bitch is here!

As Eric Freminger's life collapses by the day, his alcoholism getting to its final death throe stages, Mabillon is ensnared in Helene's web. When she first slinks into view, brilliantly lighted by Montazel, you just know that Mabillon, and us the viewers, are in hook, line and sinker! She's a grade "A" fatale of the femme variety, a bitch, as cunning as a cat, her beauty and sexuality weapons of mass male destruction. In one scene she sports a leopard skin coat, it's as appropriate as appropriate can be. In another she slowly and seductively walks up the stairs, her sly glances tempting the now hapless Mabillon to the point of no return. The addition of housemaid Jeanne (Mercier another Gallic beauty) half way through the piece, advances the story still further, adding more murky depth to the already simmering broth of doom.

So now we have a suicide and an accident!

As the plot thickens, as the tricksy scam at the pic's core unfurls and plunges all into the hornet's nest, Patelliere and Montazel prove skilled purveyors of the film noir style. The film is consistently shot with shadowy contrasts or isolated lighting techniques, while for the key speech scene given by Eric Freminger the room is bathed in classic Venetian blind slatted shadows, the position of such adroitly filmed by the makers. This room, the study, is a big player in the film, for there's a very distinctive ticking clock lending its aural presence to the human interactions, from beginning to the coup de grace, it can be heard, the inference has to be that time is ticking away for the protagonists, the sound department turning the volume up to ensure it means something.

A brilliant French noir that is in desperate need of more exposure, some crude back projection work stops it from being a 10/10 picture, but this is essential for the film noir noirista, both thematically and visually. For whom the ticking clock tolls, indeed. 9/10
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10/10
A deliciously cold-blooded "French Noir" from James Hadley Chase
melvelvit-115 March 2014
Robert (Daniel Gélin), an itinerant painter passing through Monte Carlo, saves the life of uber-rich drunk Eric Fréminger (Peter van Eyck) late one night and the man offers Robert a job as his companion-cum- chauffeur, much to the displeasure of his icy, elegant wife Hélène (Michèle Morgan). When Fréminger isn't playing sadistic mind games with Hélène, he's either blotto or busy going bankrupt and he tells Hélène she'll only have a couple of hours after he blows his brains out to make the dirty deed look like murder if she wants to collect on a sizable life insurance policy. Fréminger immediately makes good on his threat and after a quick tête-à-tête, Hélène and Robert agree to take the dead man's advice and hide his body in a walk-in freezer until they can come up with a plan. They begin by hiring a pretty young maid (Michèle Mercier) to convince her that the master of the house is a recluse who won't come out of his room but "oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive..."

A deliciously cold-blooded, sexy French noir based on a James Hadley Chase pulp thriller that took its lead from Cornell Woolrich's "The Black Path Of Fear". Woolrich's version first saw the light of day as THE CHASE in 1946 (also starring Michèle Morgan, interestingly enough) but, as usual with J.H. Chase, there's more than enough variational surprises to allow a "twisted sister" to stand on its own and THERE'S ALWAYS A PRICE TAG does just that. A thoroughly jaundiced eye is cast on human nature and Morgan (platinum blonde here a la DOUBLE INDEMNITY's Phyllis Dietrichson) chills to the marrow as the devastating, driven femme fatale. The estimable character actor Bernard Blier is also pitch-perfect as a police inspector who's a bit smarter than he lets on. Cynical and satisfying.
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10/10
Detour Retour.
morrison-dylan-fan13 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
As I approached my 800th IMDb review,I started searching for a Michèle Mercier title to view.Whilst searching round for a suitable film,a very kind IMDber directed me towards a Film Noir which marked Mercier's official debut, (not counting her uncredited role in My 7 Little Sins)which led to me getting ready to take a retour.

The plot:

Running into traffic, businessman Eric Fréminger is pulled to safety by Robert Montillon.Finding Eric to be drunk,Montillon decides to drive him home.Reaching Eric's home,Montillon is offered the chance to become Eric's permanent driver.Shortly after accepting his generous offer, Montillon meets Eric's wife Hélène,who is less than thrilled over her husband's new employee.As he tries to break the ice, Montillon is told by Hélène that he will be sacked tomorrow.

Expecting to be sacked, Montillon is instead paid in advance by Eric.Despite the job title containing the sole word "driver" Montillon finds himself having to save Eric from near-death events, prepared by Hélène. Invited into his office,Eric tells Montillon & Hélène that he is going to put them out of their misery by killing himself.Being in a mischievous mood,Eric tells Hélène & Montillon that he has set them a challenge:Due to Hélène being desperate for his cash,Eric has re-written his will,so that if he dies from a suicide, Hélène will not get a single penny,which will lead Hélène & Montillon with the only option to make it look like a murder.Dismissing his threat, Hélène & Montillon are left speechless,as Eric pulls the trigger.With Eric's dead body having barely gone cold, Hélène and Montillon start planning how to turn a suicide into a homicide.

View on the film:

Radiating an angelic aura,the ravishingly beautiful,fresh-faced Michèle Mercier gives an exquisite performance as Jeanne.Placed in the middle of Robert Montillon & Hélène Fréminger's money grabbing plans,Mercier delicately avoids making Jeanne a naïve fool,by giving Jeanne a thoughtful innocence,which shows Jeannie to be overly focused on what she sees at face value,and not giving a moment to wonder about what lays behind Robert & Hélène welcoming eyes.Barely displaying any emotion over her husbands suicide,the elegant Michèle Morgan gives a dazzling,Femme Fatale performance as Hélène Fréminger.

Dominating the household from the moment Robert steps in,Morgan gives Hélène a cold hard stare which never breaks from its icy chill,as Morgan brilliantly makes greed the one emotion casts across Hélène's stone face.Entering this Noir world as an outsider, Daniel Gélin gives a strikingly gritty performance as Robert Montillon .Keeping Montillon's feet on the ground, Gélin gradually peels away Montillon's humble attitude,which allows for his desire of the plan being a success to be laid bare.

Pulling James Hadley Chase's novel out of the shadows,the screenplay by co-writer/ (along with Michel Audiard) director Denys de La Patellière unleashes a pitch-black Film Noir atmosphere,thanks to Denys & Audiard making Hélène and Robert gasp in desperation over getting their hands on Eric's cash.Taking their time in building an excellent mood of mistrust,the writers reveal Montillon focus on playing a sly Sleight of hand on Jeanne,leads to Montillon not questioning how much he can trust the Fréminger's,and also not being able to see the vicious sting on the horizon.

Emphasizing the icy vibes in Michèle Morgan's performance,director Patellière and cinematographer Pierre Montazel show Hélène in clothes that are only black & white,which along with subtly displaying her single mindedness on getting Eric's cash,also reveals Robert & Jeanne being able to get nothing but harsh darkness from Hélène's secret plans.Opening up the Fréminger's house, Patellière uses long tracking shots to create a claustrophobic Film Noir atmosphere,as Robert & Hélène use every corner of the house to keep Eric's body hidden,as they find their delicate plans heading for a brutal retour.
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9/10
Typically James Hadley Chase atmosphere
searchanddestroy-119 July 2022
I don't remember if, precisely, this film is faithful to the Chase's book, which I have read several times, ( I think it is) but the overall scheme, topic is the same in many of the writer's books. Most of them actually. CHAIR DE POULE or DELIT DE FUITE were also adapted from Chase's stuff and also in the fashion, Chase's style. Michèle Morgan is perfect in the wife character, the flawless femme fatale, and Daniel Gelin the innocent bystander, like you and me, who is thrown in a criminal diabolical scheme of a wife seeking her husband's death, then facing an unexpected issue. Make a suicide, a real suicide, looking like a crime; the reverse scheme of the usual stories. This for obvious reasons, to get the indemnity from the insurance for which a suicide is not accepted to get the dol. A pure classic from Chase, I repeat.
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9/10
it's impossible to get more "noir" than this
myriamlenys2 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
In an act of kindness, a young man sees a drunkard home safely. To his surprise, the drunkard, who lives in a whopping villa the size of a mountain range, offers him a job as a driver. Gradually, our "chauffeur" begins to realize that his employer has more problems than you can shake a stick at. One of these problems consists of a discontented spouse who looks as though she's praying for an atom bomb to fall on France...

Think of a classic black-and-white "noir". What do you expect ? I'd say : a troubled, ambiguous atmosphere, lots of lust, greed and betrayal, a cold-hearted femme fatale holding a man in sexual thrall, a dark or cynical conclusion and an inventive black-and-white cinematography which creates visual jokes, illusions, nightmares. "Retour" has all of these ingredients. In fact, it has all of these ingredients to such an extent that it comes close to being the Platonic idea of a "noir".

"Retour" is a pretty good movie : suspenseful, cunning, well-plotted. The conclusion is indeed crashing... Michèle Morgan pretty much steals the show as a blonde she-wolf of unusual callousness, imagination and resilience. Watch the scene where she "discovers" a corpse and faints into a tiny heap of fragile despair : it's one for the books.

However, the movie also has its flaws. For instance, the criminal subterfuge set in motion (or one of the criminal subterfuges set in motion...) depends on a random woman sleeping AND falling in love with a man she knew about 24 or 48 hours. I would venture to suggest that this is a pretty incredible circumstance, especially when one takes into account a) that young women circa 1950 had little sexual freedom and b) that servants such as maids were justifiably wary of falling pregnant and giving birth to an illegitimate child. (Try raising a child all by yourself on an income of ten dollars a week, while the rest of the world hisses insults at you.)

Still, lovers of the "noir" should watch the movie for a bracing hit of the pure, the strong stuff.

If you like Daniel Ghélin, you can do worse than watch him in "Three days to live", in which he plays a theatre actor who stumbles upon a gangland hit.
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