Le dernier tournant (1939) DVD-R

Starring Fernand Gravey, Michel Simon, Marcel Vallee, Auguste Boverio, Rene Gergeron
Directed by Pierre Chenal

Print: black/white
Runtime: 35 min. (Incomplete)
Print Quality: B
Language: French
Subtitles: English
Genre: drama

Long before James M. Cain's The Postman Always Rings Twice was filmed by MGM, there were two intriguing foreign versions, one (unauthorized) from Italy and the other from France. The French version, directed by Pierre Chenal, was titled Le Dernier Tournant and released in English-speaking countries as The Last Turning. Fernand Gravet fills the role of anti-hero Frank, who goes to work for crude but likeable garage mechanic Nick Marino (Michel Simon). Whipped into an erotic frenzy by Nick's sexy young wife Cora (Corinne Luchaire), Frank cooks up a scheme with her to bump off Nick for the insurance money. Once the dirty deed is done, Frank and Cora are arrested for murder but manage to beat the rap. Fate, however, has other things in store for the conscience-stricken couple. One of the highlights of Le Dernier Tournant, a cross-examination in a hospital room, was supervised by real-life French jurist Henry Torres.