Directed by Édouard Molinaro; produce by François Chavane and Alain Poiré
Jacques Decrey (Gérard Oury), a wealthy industrialist, has been married for eight years to Gloria (Jeanne Moreau), but has recently discovered that she is having an affair with a penniless actor, Yves Normand (Philippe Nicaud). Riven by misery at this betrayal, Decrey decides to make the two pay for their transgressions, and creates an elaborate scheme to ruin them.
A well-plotted and acted movie, Back to the Wall is also well-paced, at least until the last fifth, which seems not to be ill-fitting as much as unnecessary. Nonetheless, it does not ruin the film. The story is a good one. As is usual with tales which involve a character’s intricate plot, that plot does not run entirely smoothly, failing to take into account the ultimately unpredictable nature of people. Interestingly, this does not create complications along the way, but a result different than what Decrey intended, and the audience expects. The story is adapted from a novel by the prolific and best-selling French author, Frédéric Dard.
The acting is very good. Oury may be under-rated in his role. Though he himself became a distinguished actor and director, Moreau was, at this time, and after, the bigger star. Both give excellent performances here, but Oury’s, in particular, must be interpreted by his actions and his voice-over narration. His character remains stolid and largely - at least on the surface - unmoved by events. He must be, in order to conceal his knowledge of his wife’s infidelity, and his plans.
The minor characters are interesting. Claire Maurier plays a café owner with ulterior motives for intervening in the plot, while Nicaud’s character’s dedication to his affair seems less than his enthusiasm for acting. Jean Lefebvre has a slightly comic part as a private investigator, though his character, too, adds something to the movie.
The direction must be commended, as well. This was Molinaro’s first feature, though one wouldn’t know it. It is filmed in black-and-white, with plenty of shadows, which reflect the hidden nature of all that is going on: Decrey’s plot, his wife’s affair, other characters’ duplicity, as well as the camouflage of the Decrey’s married life. The opening sequence is especially good, as we see Decrey set out from his home one night; the sequence ends with him disposing of a man’s body. That in itself is, in a way, a trick of the light, as what happened and how Decrey arrived at that point are not as they appear at first.
A somber, though entertaining, examination of jealousy and revenge, with more than one twist thrown in, Back to the Wall will satisfy crime-movie fans, and those who value a good story in their films. And yes, the title is a double entendre.
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