''Docteur Petiot'' is a 1990 French

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Christian de Chalonge Christian de Chalonge (born 21 January 1937) is a French film director and screenwriter. He directed the 1971 film '' The Wedding Ring'', which starred Anna Karina. Selected filmography * '' The Wedding Ring'' (1971) * '' L'Argent des autres'' ( ...

and starring

Michel Serrault Michel Serrault (24 January 1928 – 29 July 2007) was a French stage and film actor who appeared from 1954 until 2007 in more than 130 films. Life and career His first professional job was in a touring production in Germany of Molière's '' Les ...

. It presents the exploits of real-life serial killer

Marcel Petiot Marcel André Henri Félix Petiot (17 January 1897 – 25 May 1946) was a French medical doctor and serial killer. He was convicted of multiple murders after the discovery of the remains of 23 people in the basement of his home in Paris during W ...

during the Second World War.

Cast

: doctor

* Pierre Romans : Drezner *

Zbigniew Horoks Zbigniew () is a Polish masculine given name, originally Zbygniew . This West Slavic name is derived from the Polish elements ''Zby-'' (from ''zbyć, zbyć się, or pozbyć się'', meaning "to dispel", "to get rid of") and ''gniew'', meaning "ang ...

: Nathan Guzik * Bérangère Bonvoisin : Georgette Petiot * Olivier Saladin : the first agent * : Forestier * Nini Crépon : Collard * Maxime Collion : Gérard Petiot * Aurore Prieto : Mrs. Guzik * André Chaumeau : Célestin Nivelon * Axel Bogousslavsky : Louis Rossignol * Maryline Even : mother of the sick child *

Nita Klein NITA may refer to: Places * Nita District, Shimane, Japan ** Nita, Shimane, a former town merged with Yokota in 2005 to form Okuizumo People *Nita (given name) * Niță, a Romanian surname NITA * National Information Technology Agency, a ...

: Mrs. Kern * Dominique Marcas : Mrs. Valéry * Martine Mongermont : Cécile Drezner *

Julien Verdier Julien Verdier (13 January 1910 - 15 July 1999) was a French actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films from 1949 to 1994. Filmography References External links * 1910 births 1999 deaths French male film actors {{Fran ...

: apothecary *

Lorella Cravotta Lorella Cravotta (born 9 April 1958) is a French comedian and actress. She is best known for her role in the cult TV series '' Les Deschiens'' (1993–2002), in which she appears alongside Yolande Moreau. Theatre Filmography Referen ...

: Petiot's neighbor * Claude Degliame

Reception

''Empire'' praised the performance of the "absolutely hypnotising" Serrault, who "brings virtuoso skills to his recreation of this contradictory madman." While describing the film as "bizarre and intriguing", the review noted that "the screenplay offers no depth or development of character whatsoever, has no themes or ideas buried beneath the facts and is a little repetitive and overlong." Pointing out the film's numerous nods to

German Expressionism German Expressionism () consisted of several related creative movements in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. These developments were part of a larger Expressionist movement in north and central ...

, the ''New York Times'' review similarly concluded that "Mr. Serrault, best known here for his camp performances in the '' Cage aux Folles'' comedies, gives a good, appropriately chilly performance as Petiot, though the screenplay doesn't allow him to go anyplace."

References

External links

* 1990 films French drama films 1990 drama films 1990s French-language films Films directed by Christian de Chalonge 1990s French films Films scored by Michel Portal {{1990s-France-film-stub