Les inconnus dans la maison

A typical great Raimu performance, which also in a way gets in the way of the story. It becomes all about Raimu. Nothing else matters. The courtroom drama had a ton of potential, but again.... it's all about Raimu and his somber pace. Love it for that or leave it.

I can't decide if it should be considered a dramatic classic or a footnote in history. While the story is bland, and set mostly in a courtroom, and the characters are shallow, the element of genius is how smoothly Clouzot (writing) & Decoin (directing) flit back and forth between procedural drama, blackly comic asides, and a few sparse scenes of real emotional depth. It's a quirky mix but several individual moments are quite brilliant, and Raimu is a commanding presence when he's in full flow.