Garde a Vue (1981)

Directed by: Claude Miller | 86 minutes | drama, crime | Actors: Lino Ventura, Michel Serrault, Romy Schneider, Guy Marchand, Didier Agostini, Patrick Depeyrrat, Pierre Maguelon, Annie Miller, Serge Malik, Jean-Claude Penchenat, Yves Pignot, Mathieu Schiffman, Michel Such, Elsa Lunghini

‘Garde à vue’ is a crime film that derives its strength from the penetrating acting. Character actor Lino Ventura with his surly charismatic presence alone is a delight for any movie buff. He made his debut in the 1950s in all kinds of crime thrillers, of which ‘Ascenseur pour l’échafaud’ has since become a classic. In six films he stood next to Jean Gabin, who can be regarded as his alter ego.

He has a high caliber opponent in Michel Serrault and it is even Serrault who steals the show in this cat and mouse game. Serrault is now almost eighty years old and played one of his first roles in ‘Les Diaboliques’ (1955). In ‘Garde à vue’ he leaves everything and everyone in the dark with his steely stoic face. Is there really a psychopath, a pedophile and a murderer behind this intelligent notary? Martinaud is so smart that he plays Inspector Gallien and Inspector Belmont against each other. A refined subcutaneous game, as so many things take place subcutaneously in the film.

While Gallien asks concrete questions, Martinaud gives evasive answers that reveal his bad marriage. His wife is clearly married to him for money and status. That role is played by the also legendary Romy Schneider. Romy Schneider broke through at the age of seventeen with the role of Empress Sissi, a role she would long be associated with until directors such as Visconti, Welles and Sautet appreciated her acting talent. She starred in films such as ‘Les choses de la vie’, ‘La piscine’ and ‘Cesar et Rosalie’. She has lived through ‘Garde à vue’ but is nevertheless attractive as never before. This film is worth watching just to see these three heavyweights in action. The story is full of cliffhangers and eventually Gallien and the viewer are misled.

‘Garde à vue’ won several Césars, including for best actor (Serrault) and best script (Claude Miller, Jean Herman, Michel Audiard). There is also a remake titled ‘Under Suspicion’ starring Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman, but it doesn’t come close to the original.