Panique (1946)

Boy, in nine days, I've seen three movies in theaters with my dad. This time, we heard snoring. That doesn't reflect my own view of the showing; I just thought it fair to mention that somebody might have been that bored.

The mood at a Paris carnival is soon spoiled by the discovery of a murder. The go-to suspect in the minds of locals is one Desiré Hirovitch, whom they know only as "Monsieur Hire," a misanthropic misfit with stalker tendencies and subtle cleverness. He confides to his unrequited crush, Alice -- arguably the focal character -- that her boyfriend, Alfred, is the killer, but Hire deems its inappropriate to send the police after a romantic rival. Surprisingly early in the story (so I might as well tell you), she learns that Hire was right. But which side will she take?

It's a sure sign of film noir when none of the major characters is likable. I did come to feel sorry for Hire, who evokes pretty much comically overdone reactions from many neighbors, but I don't really blame them based on his public behavior. (Other sources point out that his full last name suggests a Jewish foreign heritage and thus bigoted persecution, tho nobody says anything directly about it.) Alfred can be suave, but that does nothing to cover for his violent criminal record, especially killing a reputedly charitable old woman for extra cash. Alice is one of those women I may never understand, sticking with her man despite how he treats her (very common in mid-20th-century France if noir is any indication). Many other characters come across as fools, cowards, and/or wretches. Even the police inspector, while aptly lawful, isn't exactly a charmer.

The backdrop is an interesting choice. You'd think more suspicion would fall on new visitors from out of town in light of the carnival, particularly given the victim's local popularity. In addition to the obvious irony of fun times, the carnival provides a well-shot scene with bumpers cars. (With few or no kids, like rides in some other oldies I've seen.)

My dad seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at the end, not because it was reasonably happy but because the tension was over. I could empathize. It rather looked as tho the moral of the story was "Don't be a lone oddball."

An English-language poster describes Panique as "long-unseen." That would explain the sparse commentary on it, not least the piddling Wikipedia entry when I checked. I guess it took a while to catch on because it's kind of like Hire himself: shady, spiteful, not forthcoming with smarts, unconcerned with common values, and hard-pressed to fit in. But it still works for what it is.