LES GOMMES (1969) aka THE ERASERS. Director : Lucien Deroisy. Cast: Francoise Brion, Claude Titra, Georges Genicot. Based on the first novel by Alain Robbe-Grillet.
A man arrives and heads to a seedy, abandoned building. There he meets an even seedier looking gentleman whereupon he receives instructions to kill a Mr. Dupont. As the instructions are given, we see the actual murder taking place. However there is a big problem as the murderer only wounds his victim in the hand. The killer escapes but the next day's newspaper headlines details the fact that Mr. Dupont was shot in the heart and died later of heart failure. The corpse has mysteriously disappeared (the police commissioner alludes to the fact that this the ninth such occurrence to take place), but he believes it was suicide. Dupont is hiding out at the clinic of doctor Juard where he believes he was set up to be assassinated because of his affiliation with THE GROUP! Enter Wallas, an investigator sent in to uncover the truth. He discovers Dupont was married to the mysterious Helene who calls someone as soon as Wallas finishes talking to her. Is she in on this conspiracy, did she have him killed, and why does a friend of Dupont named Marchat, think he is going to be killed next at the exact same location and time as Dupont? Needless to say, Wallas has been sent to solve a murder that hasn't even happened, yet he's suspected of being the killer of the man who isn't dead. True, a murder will take place, just as it was laid out in the film's beginning. The only difference will be the identity of the killer.
There's no doubt this is a film based on the work of Alain Robbe-Grillet (his very first novel). If you have seen any of his early black and white films, this one fits like a glove. This is the director's only fictional film (which is a damn shame), as he died a few years later. The black and white cinematography is a knockout and the city this was filmed in seems to be composed of nothing but stone steps that lead to infinity in any direction. It wore my ass out just watching everyone go up and down the steps as they travelled around the city. There are numerous filmic eccentricities throughout, people just miss seeing each other, gazing out windows lead to flashbacks or forwards, driving down a city street and an advertising poster with a young boy is repeated ad Infinitum. Claude Titra does a good job as Wallas, a cypher like character who is seemingly unaware of the major part he is going to play in the murder. Francoise Brion as Dupont's wife plays the part two ways, as someone who seems to know what is going on behind the scenes, but then again, maybe not. Ironically the police commissioner (wonderfully played by Andre Gevrey), has the "murder" all figured out at the 70 minute mark, but never follows through on it! The score by Georges Delerue is minimalistic to the point of nonexistent. If you are a fan of Robbe-Grillet's work, you really must see this.
A man arrives and heads to a seedy, abandoned building. There he meets an even seedier looking gentleman whereupon he receives instructions to kill a Mr. Dupont. As the instructions are given, we see the actual murder taking place. However there is a big problem as the murderer only wounds his victim in the hand. The killer escapes but the next day's newspaper headlines details the fact that Mr. Dupont was shot in the heart and died later of heart failure. The corpse has mysteriously disappeared (the police commissioner alludes to the fact that this the ninth such occurrence to take place), but he believes it was suicide. Dupont is hiding out at the clinic of doctor Juard where he believes he was set up to be assassinated because of his affiliation with THE GROUP! Enter Wallas, an investigator sent in to uncover the truth. He discovers Dupont was married to the mysterious Helene who calls someone as soon as Wallas finishes talking to her. Is she in on this conspiracy, did she have him killed, and why does a friend of Dupont named Marchat, think he is going to be killed next at the exact same location and time as Dupont? Needless to say, Wallas has been sent to solve a murder that hasn't even happened, yet he's suspected of being the killer of the man who isn't dead. True, a murder will take place, just as it was laid out in the film's beginning. The only difference will be the identity of the killer.
There's no doubt this is a film based on the work of Alain Robbe-Grillet (his very first novel). If you have seen any of his early black and white films, this one fits like a glove. This is the director's only fictional film (which is a damn shame), as he died a few years later. The black and white cinematography is a knockout and the city this was filmed in seems to be composed of nothing but stone steps that lead to infinity in any direction. It wore my ass out just watching everyone go up and down the steps as they travelled around the city. There are numerous filmic eccentricities throughout, people just miss seeing each other, gazing out windows lead to flashbacks or forwards, driving down a city street and an advertising poster with a young boy is repeated ad Infinitum. Claude Titra does a good job as Wallas, a cypher like character who is seemingly unaware of the major part he is going to play in the murder. Francoise Brion as Dupont's wife plays the part two ways, as someone who seems to know what is going on behind the scenes, but then again, maybe not. Ironically the police commissioner (wonderfully played by Andre Gevrey), has the "murder" all figured out at the 70 minute mark, but never follows through on it! The score by Georges Delerue is minimalistic to the point of nonexistent. If you are a fan of Robbe-Grillet's work, you really must see this.
