Behind the Facade (1939)
March 14, 1939
Crime, Comedy
1h 30m


" He's a loser, he gets off to a bad start, but when he wants to, he always has the last word: Justice ! "
In the elevator of two large Parisian buildings, a telegraph operator discovers the body of an elderly woman, Madame Mathieu, the owner of both buildings. Boucheron, the local superintendent, is dispatched to investigate, along with his rival, Inspector Lambert of the "Sûreté". To solve the enigma, they scour staircases and corridors, visiting every floor of both buildings, courtyard and facade. Their gruff rivalry allows them to complement each other in discovering who committed the crime among a gallery of characters, humble or rich, who all have something to be ashamed of... A rare, fast-paced, picturesque comedy set against the backdrop of a police mystery.
Cast & Crew
- Director
- Yves Mirande
- Commissioner Boucheron, district police officer Lucien Baroux
- Inspector Lambert of the Sûreté Jacques Baumer
- Alfredo d'Avila, dancer of these ladies Jules Berry
- Gaby Valrose, minister's lover Gaby Morlay
- Mrs. Rameau, wife of an industrialist and mistress of Alfredo Elvira Popescu
- Picking, knife-throwing artist Michel Simon
- Mr. Corbeau, kleptomaniac André Lefaur
- Madeleine Martin, in love with André Gaby Sylvia