''Speaking of Murder'' is a 1957 French crime film directed by Gilles Grangier and starring

Jean Gabin Jean Gabin (; 17 May 190415 November 1976) was a French actor and singer. Considered a key figure in French cinema, he starred in several classic films including ''Pépé le Moko'' (1937), '' La grande illusion'' (1937), ''Le Quai des brumes'' ...

. The original French title is ''Le rouge est mis'', which means "the red light is on". The screenplay is based on a novel by

Auguste Le Breton Auguste Le Breton (born Auguste Monfort 18 February 1913 – 31 May 1999) was a French novelist who wrote primarily about the criminal underworld. His novels were adapted into several notable films of the 1950s, such as ''Rififi'', ''Razzia su ...

Plot

Louis Bertain (Gabin) is the owner of a Paris garage which is the front for a robbery gang. He and his accomplices are careful to keep up a civic veneer by day, indulging in criminal activities only when "the red light is on" at night. This status quo is upset when one of the gang members becomes convinced that Louis' younger brother is a police informer.

Cast

as Louis Bertain / Louis le Blond *

Paul Frankeur Paul Frankeur (29 June 1905 - 27 October 1974) was a French actor who appeared in films by Jacques Tati (''Jour de fête'') and Luis Buñuel (''The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie'' and ''The Phantom of Liberty''). He was sometimes credited a ...

as Frédo *

Marcel Bozzuffi Marcel Bozzuffi (28 October 19291 February 1988) was a French film actor. He appeared as a hitman in the Oscar-winning American film '' The French Connection''. In 1963, he married French actress Françoise Fabian. Selected filmography *1955: ...

as Pierre Bertain * Lino Ventura as Pepito *

Annie Girardot Annie Suzanne Girardot (25 October 193128 February 2011) was a French actress. She often played strong-willed, independent, hard-working, and often lonely women, imbuing her characters with an earthiness and reality that endeared her to women und ...

as Hélène * Albert Dinan as Inspector Pluvier *

Antonin Berval Antonin Berval (1891–1966) was a French film actor.Goble p.4 He is sometimes credited simply as Berval. Selected filmography * ''Notre Dame d'amour'' (1923) * ''Arthur'' (1931) - Hubert de Fondragon * ''Le costaud des PTT'' (1931) * ''To the P ...

as Zé *

Jean-Pierre Mocky Jean-Pierre Mocky (6 July 1929 – 8 August 2019), pseudonym of Jean-Paul Adam Mokiejewski, was a French film director, actor, screenwriter and producer. Life and career Mocky was born in Nice, France to Polish immigrant parents, Jeanne Zylinska ...

as Pierre *

Thomy Bourdelle Thomy Charles Bourdelle (20 April 1891 – 27 June 1972) was a French actor. Bourdelle was born in Paris and died in Toulon, Var, France. Selected filmography *'' Roger la Honte'' (1922) * '' Surcouf'' (1925) * '' Jocaste'' (1925) * ''Jean ...

as Inspector * Serge Lecointe as Bébert

References

External links

* *
''Speaking of Murder'' at “Cinema-francais“
(French)
''Speaking of Murder'' movie review at The New York Times
Last accessed: July 3, 2014. 1957 films 1950s crime thriller films French black-and-white films Film noir French crime thriller films Films set in Paris 1950s French-language films French gangster films Films about organized crime in France Films based on French novels Films based on works by Auguste Le Breton Films with screenplays by Michel Audiard 1950s French films {{crime-thriller-film-stub