Strangers in the House (aka Les Inconnus dans la Maison) (Blu-ray)

Adapted by the prodigiously gifted Henri-Georges Clouzot (Quai des Orfèvres, Wages of Fear, Diabolique) from the novel by eminent crime author Georges Simenon (Maigret, The Widow Couderc), Strangers in the House (Les Inconnus dans la Maison) is a stunning psychological murder-mystery with sardonic Gallic overtones. Legendary actor Raimu (Pagnol’s Marseille trilogy) is brilliant as the alcoholic ex-attorney Hector Loursat, disillusioned with life and living with his daughter, Nicole (Juliette Faber, Simenon’s Picpus), in a vast and shabby mansion. One night, they hear gunshots echoing from upstairs and discover a dead man lying on an old bed in the attic. This ghastly scene sets the stage for a sharp and scathing film noir written by Europe’s most acclaimed craftsmen of suspense and directed by the great Henri Decoin (One Step to Eternity, Razzia sur la Chnouf).