Voici le temps des assassins … (Der Engel, der ein Teufel war)

André Chatelin (Jean Gabin) leads a tranquil life as a restaurant owner in the Parisian district of Les Halles. One day, young Catherine appears on his doorstep, introducing herself as the daughter of a later relationship of André's deceased ex-wife and is welcomed as a surrogate father. André already sees her as the ideal wife for his young friend Gérard, but then he himself succumbs to Catherine's infatuations. But the girl is playing a false game. Another highlight in the late work of Julien Duvivier, who initially takes his time to lovingly depict the market hall milieu in the belly of Paris, countered by his frosty image of humanity: As chickens are flogged to death (according to old tradition) for the kitchen on the side, one suspects the abysses that Duvivier and his superb ensemble will mercilessly escalate towards noir madness, driven by Danièle Delorme's Catherine, the French sister of Jean Simmons' fatal angel of innocence in Angel Face. (Christoph Huber)

Photo: Austrian Film Museum