''Checkmate'' (French: ''Échec et mat'') is a 1931 French

mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' Films * ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film * ''Mystery'' ( ...

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combi ...

directed by

Roger Goupillières Roger Goupillières (22 September 1896 - 20 December 1988) was a French film director and screenwriter.Dolly Davis Dolly Davis (30 October 1896 – 3 November 1962) was a French film actress. Born Julienne Alexandrine David in Paris, Davis died in Neuilly-sur-Seine. Selected filmography * ''Hantise'' (1922) * ''Geneviève'' (1923) * ''Paris'' (1924) * ...

Jean Marchat Jean Marchat (1902–1966) was a French film actor who appeared in around fifty films during his career. He made his film debut in 1931 and appeared in Maurice Tourneur's '' Departure'' the same year.Waldman p.144 Selected filmography * '' Depa ...

and

Jean-Pierre Aumont Jean-Pierre Aumont (born Jean-Pierre Philippe Salomons; 5 January 1911 – 30 January 2001) was a French actor, and holder of the Légion d'Honneur and the Croix de Guerre for his World War II military service. Early life Aumont was born Jea ...

.Bessy & Chirat p.131 It was shot at the

Joinville Studios The Joinville Studios were a film studio in Paris which operated between 1910 and 1987. They were one of the leading French studios, with major companies such as Pathé and Gaumont making films there. A second studio was added to the original ...

of Pathé-Natan in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

. The film's sets were designed by the art director

Lucien Aguettand Lucien Aguettand (28 January 1901 – 14 February 1989) was a French art directorHayward p.205 who designed the sets for over eighty films during his career. Selected filmography * ''Little Devil May Care'' (1928) * '' All That's Not Worth Love' ...

Synopsis

Claude Darblet plans a joke with two of his friends. One of them will pretend to be murdered, with the evidence all pointing at Claude before the prank is revealed. Things then take a dramatic turn when he really turns up dead.

Cast

Dolly Davis Dolly Davis (30 October 1896 – 3 November 1962) was a French film actress. Born Julienne Alexandrine David in Paris, Davis died in Neuilly-sur-Seine. Selected filmography * ''Hantise'' (1922) * ''Geneviève'' (1923) * ''Paris'' (1924) * ...

as Aline Rouvray *

Ginette d'Yd Ginette may refer to: Music * "Ginette", a song by Têtes Raides. * "Ginette", a song by Beau Dommage. People * Ginette Leclerc (1912–1992), French actress * Ginette Mathiot (born 1946), French chef * Ginette Moulin, French billionaire heir ...

as Simone *

as Claude Darblet *

as Jacques *

Rolla Norman Edouard Charles "Rolla" Norman (1889–1971) was a French stage and film actor. Selected filmography * ''The Assassination of the Duke of Guise'' (1908) * ''The Advocate'' (1925) * ''The Last Fort'' (1928) * ''The Vein'' (1928) * ''The Great Pas ...

as Monsieur Sylvestre * Adrien Lamy as Lagoupille *

Daniel Lecourtois Daniel Lecourtois (25 January 1902 – 16 January 1985) was a French film actor.Hayward p.250 He appeared in more than sixty films and television series during his career. In his later career he often played authority figures. Partial filmography ...

as Robert Manoy *

Fernand Mailly Fernand Mailly (26 February 1873) was a French actor. Born Fernand Jean-Paul Anne in Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, France. Selected filmography * ''Brigadier Gerard'' (1915) * ''Le traquenard'' (1915) * '' The Empire of Diamonds'' (1920) *'' The Agon ...

as Le commissaire *

Georges Paulais Georges Paulais (16 September 1884 – 12 December 1967) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 140 films between 1910 and 1956. He was born in Guimps, Charente, France and died in Chabanais, Charente, France. Selected filmograph ...

as Le juge *

Robert Tourneur The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

as L'avocat

References

Bibliography

*Bessy, Maurice & Chirat, Raymond. ''Histoire du cinéma français: 1929-1934''. Pygmalion, 1988. * Crisp, Colin. ''Genre, Myth and Convention in the French Cinema, 1929-1939''. Indiana University Press, 2002. * Rège, Philippe. ''Encyclopedia of French Film Directors, Volume 1''. Scarecrow Press, 2009.

External links

* 1931 films French mystery films 1931 mystery films 1930s French-language films Films directed by Roger Goupillières French black-and-white films 1930s French films Pathé films Films shot at Joinville Studios Films scored by Ralph Erwin {{1930s-France-film-stub