''The Inheritor'' () is a 1973 French film starring

Jean-Paul Belmondo Jean-Paul Charles Belmondo (; 9 April 19336 September 2021) was a French actor. Initially associated with the New Wave of the 1960s, he was a major French film star for several decades from the 1960s onward, frequently portraying police officer ...

Plot

Hugo Cordell, media and industrial tycoon, dies when his plane explodes between Geneva and Paris. Examination of the plane's debris cannot establish the cause of the crash. In Paris, the directors of 'Globe', the Cordell empire's flagship French weekly, anxiously await the arrival of Hugo Cordell's heir Bart (

), who wishes to read the last issue before it goes to press. On the flight back from the United States Bart flirts with the seductive Lauren (Maureen Kerwin), who slips a baggage claim-check into his pocket. At the airport Bart is welcomed by 'Globe' management and television reporters. The claim-check is found by a customs agent to correspond with a briefcase full of illegal drugs, and Bart is accused of drug trafficking. He understands perfectly that his arrival to head the Cordell empire does not meet with universal approval. Aided by his faithful friend, David (

Charles Denner Charles Denner (29 May 1926 – 10 September 1995) was a French actor born to a Jewish family in Tarnów, Poland. During his 30-year career he worked with some of France's greatest film director, directors of the time, including Louis Malle, ...

), he decides to conduct his own investigation.

Cast

as Barthelemy Cordell *

Carla Gravina Carla Gravina (born 5 August 1941) is an Italian actress and politician. She received a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress for her role in '' La Terrazza'' (1980). Her other notable roles were in '' Love and Chatter'' (1957), '' Ester ...

as Liza Rocquencourt *

Jean Rochefort Jean Raoul Robert Rochefort (; 29 April 1930 – 9 October 2017) was a French actor. He received many accolades during his career, including an Honorary César in 1999. Life and career Rochefort was born on 29 April 1930 in Paris, France, to ...

as André Berthier *

as David Loweinstein *

Jean Desailly Jean Desailly (24 August 1920 – 11 June 2008) was a French actor. He was a member of the Comédie-Française from 1942 to 1946, and later participated in about 90 movies. Life and career Desailly studied at the École nationale supérieure des ...

as Jean-Pierre Carnavan *

François Chaumette François Chaumette (1923–1996) was a French actor. Filmography External linksFrançois Chaumetteat IMDB. 1923 births 1996 deaths French male voice actors Sociétaires of the Comédie-Française French National Academy of Dramati ...

as Theron-Maillard *

Michel Beaune Michel Beaune (1933–1990) was a French actor. Filmography *1960: '' Trapped by Fear'' as Un ami de Paul (uncredited) *1961: ''Les godelureaux'' *1964: '' Backfire'' as Daniel *1970: '' The Confession'' as L'avocat *1970: '' The Time to Die ...

as Frédéric Lambert * Pierre Grasset as Pierre Delmas *

Maurice Garrel Maurice Garrel (24 February 1923 – 4 June 2011) was a French film actor. Garrel was born in Saint-Servais, Isère. He appeared in over a hundred films and was nominated twice for a César Award for best supporting actor: in 1991 for ''La ...

as Detective Brayen * Maureen Kerwin as Lauren *

Jean Martin Jean Martin (6 March 1922 – 2 February 2009Jean Martin
''The Guardian'', 12 February 2009

as Monseigneur Schneider * Marcel Cuvelier as The Minister *

Fosco Giachetti Fosco Giachetti (28 March 1900, in Sesto Fiorentino – 22 December 1974, in Rome) was an Italian actor. Fosco Giachetti was the protagonist of ''Lo squadrone bianco'' (1936), directed by Augusto Genina. He became the leading man in Fascist ...

as Luigi Galazzi *

Anna Orso Anna Maria Orso (December 11, 1938 – August 14, 2012) was an Italian film actress whose career in international and Cinema of Italy, Italian cinema spanned more than fifty years. Career Orso made her film debut in ''The Bible: In the Beginn ...

as Giovanella Cordell *

Paul Amiot Paul Amiot (29 March 1886 – 26 January 1979) was a French film actor. His career spanned some 63 years and he appeared in nearly 100 films between 1910 and 1973. In 1920 he appeared in Robert Péguy's ''Être aimé pour soi-même''. He was ...

as Hugo Cordell * Michel Cassagne as André Dubois * Serge Wagner as Campanella *

Philippe Labro Philippe Labro (27 August 1936 – 4 June 2025) was a French author, journalist, and film director. He worked for RTL, ''Paris Match'', TF1, and Antenne 2. He received the Prix Interallié for his autobiography ''L'Étudiant étranger'' in 198 ...

as Journalist

References

External links

*
''The Inheritor''
at Le Film Guide French action thriller films 1973 films Films scored by Michel Colombier 1970s business films Films about inheritances 1970s French films 1970s French-language films French-language action thriller films {{1970s-France-film-stub