Les Mystères de Paris

Directed by André Hunebelle, this 1962 French-Italian production is a free adaptation of Eugène Sue's novel that had conquered Europe in the 1840s and had already been filmed in 1912 and 1935. Set in Paris during the reign of Louis-Philippe, the story centres on Rodolphe de Sambreuil (Jean Marais), who together with his mistress Irène holds a prominent position in high society. Tormented by guilt over the death of a worker, Rodolphe decides to help the man's widow, who is searching for her mysteriously vanished daughter Marie. His quest to find the girl carries him into the city's squalid slums and underworld. Irène, resenting his obsession, turns to the Baron de Lansignac, Rodolphe's sworn enemy. Intrigue, assassination attempts and murders follow, culminating in a fight to the death between the two men, from which honour and love emerge triumphant. Raymond Pellegrin, Jill Haworth and Dany Robin also star; the screenplay is a joint effort by Jean Halain, Pierre Foucaud and Diego Fabbri.