Philippe Lutcher, an anarchist, fires a shot at Clara Stuart, a famous stage and screen actress, but only wounds her. The star, through affectation and curiosity to know his motives, pleads in his favour at his trial, but he rebuffs her pity. After he has served 18 months in prison, they meet and fall in love.
Acting
Charles Boyer's smoldering anarchist energy is absolutely criminal.
Direction
L'Herbier's elegant camera moves like it has nowhere better to be.
Writing
Dialogue so sharp it could wound a movie star.
Director
Marcel L'Herbier
Gaby Morlay
Clara Stuart
Charles Boyer
Philippe Lutcher
Paulette Dubost
Louise
Jaque Catelain
Geoffroy de Chabré
Michel Simon
Noël Malpiaz
Jean Toulout
Maître Balbant
Georges Mauloy
President of the Assises
Léon Arvel
General advocate
Marie-Jacqueline Chantal
Lady in the hearing (uncredited)
Marguerite de Morlaye
Dame à l'audience
Pierre Finaly
Director of L'Echo du Monde (uncredited)
Jacques Henley
(uncredited)
Sylvain Itkine
Journalist (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released in 1934, this scandalized some critics for treating attempted murder as foreplay—classic pre-Code moral flexibility.
Gaby Morlay was France's biggest female star; this was one of her rare collaborations with Boyer before he fled to Hollywood.
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