''The Case Against X'' (French: ''Ouvert contre X'') is a 1952 French

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...

directed by

Richard Pottier Richard Pottier (6 June 1906, in Graz – 2 November 1994, in Le Plessis-Bouchard) was a film director in France. He was born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire as Ernst Deutsch. Selected filmography * ''If I Were Boss (1934 film), If I Were Boss'' ( ...

and starring Yves Deniaud, Elina Labourdette and Yves Vincent. https://www.unifrance.org/film/2002/ouvert-contre-x It was shot at the

Saint-Maurice Studios Saint-Maurice is the name or part of the name of places. It refers to the legendary Saint Maurice. Places Canada * Saint-Maurice (Lower Canada electoral district), a constituency 1792–1838 * Saint Maurice (Province of Canada electoral distri ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

and on location in the city. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Lucien Carré Lucien Carré (born 1904) was a French art directorCapua p.127 active in the French cinema designing film sets from the late 1920s to the late 1950s. He worked frequently with the director André Hunebelle as well as Julien Duvivier and Anatole ...

Synopsis

A wealthy

industrialist A business magnate, also known as an industrialist or tycoon, is a person who is a powerful entrepreneur and investor who controls, through personal enterprise ownership or a dominant shareholding position, a firm or industry whose goods or ser ...

is murdered at his residence, and suspicion falls on his

mistress Mistress is the feminine form of the English word "master" (''master'' + ''-ess'') and may refer to: Romance and relationships * Mistress (lover), a female lover of a married man ** Royal mistress * Maîtresse-en-titre, official mistress of a ...

Catherine. The experienced Chief Inspector Bonnardel is convinced of her guilt and arrests her, but his younger colleague

Inspector Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia The rank of Inspector is present in all Australian police forces excep ...

Richard is less convinced and searches for the real culprit.

Cast

* Yves Deniaud as L'inspecteur-chef Bonnardel * Elina Labourdette as Catherine Villard * Yves Vincent as L'inspecteur Richard *

Jean Debucourt Jean Debucourt (19 January 1894 – 22 March 1958) was a French stage and film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1920 and 1958. Selected filmography * '' The Little Thing'' (1923) * ''Jean Chouan'' (1926) * ''Madame Récamier'' ...

as Maître Landry *

Marcel André Marcel André (2 January 1885 – 13 October 1974) was a French film actor.Goble p.87 Selected filmography * ''Si l'empereur savait ça'' (1930) - Albert (Master of the Horse) * ''Soyons gais'' (1930) - Townley * ''Le père célibataire'' (1931) ...

as Le médecin légiste * Marie Déa as Madame Le Mesles *

Charles Dechamps Charles Dechamps (13 September 1882 – 25 September 1959) was a French stage and film actor. He married the comedian Fernande Albany on 19 November 1925. He died in 1959, and was buried at cimetière du Père-Lachaise. Filmography * 1909: ...

as Le juge d'instruction Ferrand *

Marthe Mercadier Marthe Mercadier (23 October 1928 – 15 September 2021) was a French actress. Filmography Awards * In 1974, she was named Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. * In 1989, she won the ''Molière Award'' of the Best Comic Show. * In 2007, she was n ...

as La détenue-manucure * Henri Nassiet as L'industriel Paul Dorgères * María Riquelme as Etiennette - la concierge *

Guy Decomble Guy Decomble (1910–1964) was a French film and television actor. A character actor he played in a number of supporting parts in postwar cinema. One of his better known roles is as the teacher in ''The 400 Blows'' by François Truffaut.Paietta p ...

as Le concierge *

Robert Dalban Robert Dalban (born Gaston Barré; 19 July 1903 – 3 April 1987) was a French actor. His work included stage acting, roles in TV shows and dubbing American stars. Moreover, he was a fixture in French cinema for many decades. Selected filmogra ...

as L'inspecteur Sylvestre * Jean Barrère as Pierre *

Charles Vissières Charles Vissières (1880–1960) was a French stage and film actor.Bessy & Chirat p.109 A character actor, he appeared in supporting roles in films from the mid-1930s onwards. Selected filmography * ''Sacred Woods'' (1939) * '' Love Cavalcade'' ( ...

as Le détective Henri Bouteiller *

Marcel Delaître Marcel Delaître (1888–1963) was a French film and stage actor.Crisp p.94 Selected filmography * '' Happy Hearts'' (1932) * ''Lilac'' (1932) * '' Poliche'' (1934) * ''Street Without a Name'' (1934) * ''Crime and Punishment'' (1935) * '' Girls ...

as Le commissaire *

Michel Etcheverry Michel Etcheverry (16 December 1919 – 30 March 1999) was a French actor. First a teacher, he was fired in 1941 for refusing to make the Maréchal children sing, here we come! . He began his career in the theater as a stage manager, then joined ...

as Bertrand Moal * Fernand René as Le tailleur *

Paul Villé Paul may refer to: People * Paul (given name), a given name, including a list of people * Paul (surname), a list of people * Paul the Apostle, an apostle who wrote many of the books of the New Testament * Ray Hildebrand, half of the singing duo P ...

as Le maître d'hôtel *

Julien Maffre Julien may refer to: People * Julien (given name) * Julien (surname) Music * ''Julien'' (opera), a 1913 poème lyrique by Gustave Charpentier * ''Julien'' (album), by Dalida, 1973 * "Julien" (song), by Carly Rae Jepsen, 2019 Places Un ...

as L'hôtelier * Zélie Yzelle as La cuisinière * Madeleine Barbulée as La voisine * Myriam Bru as La nièce *

Jacqueline Huet Jacqueline may refer to: People * Jacqueline (given name), including a list of people with the name * Jacqueline Moore (born 1964), ring name "Jacqueline", American professional wrestler Arts and entertainment * ''Jacqueline'' (1923 film), ...

as La vendeuse *

Odette Barencey Odette Barencey (20 August 1893 – 4 March 1981) was a French film actress. She appeared in more than 50 films from 1927 to 1958. She was married to the actor Marcel Barencey. Selected filmography * '' My Childish Father'' (1930) * '' Mo ...

as Une femme *

Henri Crémieux Henri Crémieux (19 July 1896 – 10 May 1980) was a French actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from 1930 to 1980. Selected filmography External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cremieux, Henri 1896 births 1980 deaths Male actors from ...

as Phalempeau *

Nadine Tallier Nadine de Rothschild (née Nadine Nelly Jeannette Lhopitalier; born 18 April 1932) is a French author and former actress. She is the widow of banker Edmond Adolphe de Rothschild, a member of the Rothschild family. Biography Nadine Lhopitalier ...

as Amélie - la soubrette *

Alfred Adam Alfred Roger Adam (4 April 1908 – 7 May 1982) was a French stage and film character actor, who usually played weak or villainous roles. Selected filmography *''Speedway'' (1929) - Doctor (uncredited) *'' La Kermesse Héroïque'' (1935) - Jos ...

as Le vendeur de boutons

References

Bibliography

* Rège, Philippe. ''Encyclopedia of French Film Directors, Volume 1''. Scarecrow Press, 2009.

External links

* 1952 films French crime films 1952 crime films 1950s French-language films Films directed by Richard Pottier French black-and-white films 1950s French films Films shot at Saint-Maurice Studios Gaumont (company) films Films scored by Marc Lanjean {{1950s-France-film-stub