L'Héritier (1973)
Directed by Philippe Labro

Film Review

With this stylish thriller, Philippe Labro takes some carefully judged swipes at his own profession, that of journalism, whilst referencing some major topical concerns - including corruption in politics and industry.  This is Labro's third film - after Tout peut arriver (1969) and Sans mobile apparent (1971) - and whilst it feels somewhat overloaded with content, it is well crafted and a compelling example of the polar (mystery-thriller) genre.  Some unusual camera framing and sharp editing brings a frisson of originality into what was, even by the early 1970s, a pretty formulaic and heavily over-used genre.

The film's charismatic hero is played by Jean-Paul Belmondo, who was - alongside Alain Delon - the most popular film actor in France at the time.  Alas, there are none of the trademark Belmondo stunts in this film - which is actually to the film's advantage.  Belmondo's performance is credible, but his characterisation shows little variation from film to film - not that the cinema-going public of the day minded.   The plethora of other talented actors - including Jean Desailly, Jean Rochefort and Charles Denner - add to the film's quality feel but are large wasted as it is Belmondo who, as ever, draws the focus throughout.

Although the film was not a staggering success (of the kind that many of Belmondo's films were in this decade), it did attract a respectable audience in France of over two million spectators.  The film's controversial subject matter, and its equally controversial ending, may have lessened its appeal.  The “neo-polar” (conspiracy thriller) element of L'Héritier was not greatly appreciated at the time but would have a strong presence on French cinema by the end of the 1970s as a series of headline-grabbing scandals rocked the political establishment across Europe.  Like a good journalist, Philippe Labro was well ahead of the game.

Film Synopsis

When his father, an incredibly wealthy magnate, dies in an aeroplane crash, Bart Cordell finds himself at the head a vast business empire.  Leaving his family behind in the United States, where he has spent the last ten years, Bart returns to France to take up the running of his various corporate activities, and is grateful for the help he receives from his personal adviser, David Lowenstein.  Bart's niggling suspicions that his father's sudden death may not have been accidental are confirmed when a prostitute tries to implicate him in a drugs trafficking operation.

Bart immediately hires a private detective and takes measure to ensure that no harm can befall his wife Giovanella, who is still in America with their two sons.  Can it be a coincidence that Giovanella is the daughter of Luigi Galazzi, the powerful Italian businessman who was the man most reviled by Bart's father?  To expose Galazzi's far from glorious political activities, which involve offering financial support to a neo-Fascist party, Bart compiles an article for the newspaper he owns.  It could well be a fatal mistake...