Admirers of Yves Montand will always have a special affection for this one for without it we may never have had Cesar et Rosalie, L'Aveu, Le Cercle Rouge, Vincent, Francois, Paul et les autres, Police Python 357, Le Choix des Armes, Le Sauvage, Garcon, Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources for it was here that for the first time in 20 years Montand suddenly felt at home on a set and realised he could command an audience in a cinema as effortlessly as he did on the concert stage. Since 1945 when Edith Piaf had wangled him a part in her own vehicle Etoile Sans lumiere he had averaged one film a year but still found walking on to a set traumatic rather than enjoyable with the result that he spent the bulk of his time charming the crowds who flocked to see him at L'Etoile, Olympia and venues around the world. After Compartiment he returned to the concert stage only twice more - an inestimable loss but moviegoers gain. Stories of how the movie came to be made depend on who you choose to believe; first-time director and virtually unknown quantity Costa-Gavros credits both Montand and his wife, Simone Signoret; he had been an Assistant on an earlier film of Signoret's, got to know her and she in turn had introduced him to Montand but a slight social acquaintance with an Assistant director is a far cry from starring in his first movie. Having written a script and found a producer C-G was asked if he had anyone in mind to play in the thing. His only thought was Catherine Allegret for the role of Bambi, one of the two lovers who don't wind up with a tag on their toe. When he approached Simone she told him that Catherine (her daughter from her first marriage to director Yves Allegret) had to get her Bac before anything else but she herself could play the Actress; shortly afterwards Montand approached C-G and said 'I hear you've written a good script, is there anything for me in it'. Blown away C-G told him to read it and take any part he liked. Other sources contradict this account but at this stage it's purely academic and the main thing is the film got made, Montand resurrected his native Midi accent - which he had worked long and hard to eradicate - gave his police Inspector a head cold and a blocked nose to add colour - something which has since become a cliché with every actor and his Uncle Max cast as a cop utilisng it - and turned in a great performance as did everyone else including a young Jacques Perrin, perhaps lately better known as the top-and-tail narrator in two of the biggest feelgood hits of the past few years Cinema Paradiso and Les Choristes. Shot in black and white with a plot resembling a pretzel crossed with a spiral staircase it still retains its ability to thrill. Yet another gift from Scandinavia and an invaluable one for a Montand buff.
Review of The Sleeping Car Murder
