Les Anges noirs (1937)
Directed by Willy Rozier

Film Review

Willy Rozier probably wasn't the best person to write and direct an adaptation of a literary work by the Nobel Prize winning author François Mauriac.  In fact, anyone familiar with his pretty grim cinematic output would probably have to concur that Rozier was just about the last person on the planet to be trusted with this job.  Mauriac's 1936 novel Les Anges noirs, like his earlier masterpiece Thérèse Desqueyroux, is one that pretty well defies translation to the screen, and all that Rozier (a talentless purveyor of insipid low brow melodramas, virtually all forgotten today) came up with was a completely incomprehensible mess of a film.  Any resemblance between this film and the original novel is purely coincidental, not that you are ever likely to find any.

In stark contrast to Georges Franju's marvellous Desqueyroux adaptation twenty-five years later, Rozier shows absolutely no sympathy for Mauriac's complex novel (and possibly even less understanding of the plot).  Bizarrely, he seems to have mistaken it for a third rate crime novel, evidenced by the excessive use of clumsily bolted on film noir motifs and a hideously overblown thriller score which makes watching this cinematic atrocity an absolute torment.  The film's one saving grace is its impressive cast, which includes some of the most capable performers of the time - Suzy Prim, Charpin, Paul Bernard, Pauline Carton and Florelle.  But alas, thanks to Rozier's completely inept writing and direction, this abundance of acting talent is pretty well annihilated right from the off.

Les Anges noirs is a catastrophic misfire which amply demonstrates what can happen when a sub-mediocre director with too high opinion of himself ends up getting well and truly out of his depth.  Rozier was far better suited for directing intellectually undemanding crowdpleasers like 56 rue Pigalle (1948), L'Épave (1949) and Manina la fille sans voiles (1952).  The only film of his that stands up reasonably well to day is his comedy Monsieur Chasse (1947), a reasonably successful adaptation of a popular Georges Feydeau farce.

Film Synopsis

At their large family estate in the Landes region of France, two eternally battling brothers-in-law agree that the son of one should marry the daughter of the other for their mutual advantage.  Unfortunately, their ungrateful offspring have absolutely no intention of going along with this plan.  The son has already found himself a lover, the sister of the parish clergyman, and the daughter is likewise determined to marry for love, not financial gain.  When one of the brothers kills his mistress he has a crisis of conscience and repents his ways...