Le Rat d'Amérique (1963) Directed by Jean-Gabriel Albicocco
Comedy / Drama
aka: Rat Trap
Film Synopsis
The war has left Charles, a young French man, practically penniless, so he
heads off to South America, hoping to make an easy fortune. Money comes
his way far more readily than expected, when Maria, a Paraguay bank clerk,
accidentally transfers a huge sum of money into his account. To avoid
causing the young woman any trouble, Charles quickly notifies the bank of
the mistake and the money is returned to its rightful owner. This doesn't
prevent Maria from losing her job, however. She and Charles are soon
pursuing an intense love affair, but by now Charles's one thought is to earn
enough money to buy his return ticket to France. Desperation leads
him to get involved in increasingly risky ventures and Maria ends up being
raped by a brutal fiend...
The cinema of Japan is noteworthy for its purity, subtlety and visual impact. The films of Ozu, Mizoguchi and Kurosawa are sublime masterpieces of film poetry.