Thérèse Raquin

1953 1h 46m FR

👍

6.6

SOLID

⭐

7.4

IMDB

★6.6TMDB · 64★7.4IMDB · 1,917

DramaCrimeRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Star-crossed lovers Thérèse and Laurent think they've gotten away with murder after Thérèse's weakling husband "falls" from a speeding train. But when forced to contend with a blackmailer's demands and the mute accusations of Thérèse's mother-in-law, it's only a matter of time before the law, their passion or blind chance trips them up.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Simone Signoret
Thérèse Raquin
Raf Vallone
Laurent
Jacques Duby
Camille Raquin
Maria Pia Casilio
Georgette, la bonne
Sylvie
Madame Raquin
Nerio Bernardi
le médecin
Roland Lesaffre
Henri dit « Riton »
Madeleine Barbulée
Mme Noblet

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Marcel Carné
Writers: Charles Spaak
Languages: Italian, French
Countries: France, Italy

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

73 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Italian, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: France, Italy.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Marcel Carné, shot by Roger Hubert. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Maurice Thiriet. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Henri Rust shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Simone Signoret and Raf Vallone and Jacques Duby carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0046429 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Marcel Carné directs. Roger Hubert behind the camera. Maurice Thiriet scores. Henri Rust cuts. Produced in France, Italy. Dialogue in Italian, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

173 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Dialogue crosses 2 languages: Italian, French.
3International production across 2 countries: France, Italy.
4Directed by Marcel Carné, shot by Roger Hubert. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Maurice Thiriet. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Henri Rust shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Simone Signoret and Raf Vallone and Jacques Duby carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0046429 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 64 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Roger Hubert
Original score: Maurice Thiriet
Editing: Henri Rust
Production design: Paul Bertrand
Costume design: Mayo
Runtime: 106 min · 1h 46m
Status: Released
Original language: FR
IMDB: Thérèse Raquin (1953)
IMDB rating: 7.4/10 · 1,917 votes
MPAA: Not Rated

Awards

2 wins & 2 nominations

Also by

Marcel Carné

Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2015-04-05
★ 8/10
Thérèse is no Tease. Thérèse Raquin (AKA: The Adultress) is directed by Marcel Carné and Carné co-adapts the screenplay with Charles Spaak from the Émile Zola novel. It stars Simone Signoret, Raf Vallone, Jacques Duby, Maria Pia Casilio and Roland Lesaffre. Music is by Maurice Thiriet and cinematography by Roger Hubert. Carné reworks Zola's novel to be set in post-war Lyon and slips into a film noir gear. Plot essentially finds Signoret as Raquin, a severely repressed woman stuck in a marriage to her wimpy weasel of a cousin, not only that but she also has to share a home with his domineering mother. Then one day the strapping Laurent LeClaire (Vallone) enters her life, sparking a fiery affair, but as plans for the future are plotted, a turn of events drastically changes everything. The characterisations are strongly performed, the five principals (Lesaffre arrives late in the play as a key character) giving performances that really draw you into their respective worlds, for better or worse as regards the human condition. Carné skillfully blends the beautiful side of Lyon, such as the quaint cobbled streets and the River Rhone, with a dull bleakness that fogs Thérèse, a woman who has forgotten how to smile, sexual fulfilment a non entity. Hubert also brings his photographic skills to the show, providing some blisteringly gorgeous night shots that offer hope for the new found lovers. But there is a sign post up ahead and it says that the next stop is noirville, and after having spent half the film building his characters, Carné dashes hope and replaces it with misery. Fate plays a big part in the crux aspects of the film, a film noir staple of course, right up to the clinical finale that comes with a thunderous fait accompli. It's a bit draggy in parts as the director is at pains to show the humdrum side of life, but the change of gear at the mid-point - and the brilliant last quarter, make this a worthy addition for collectors of Frenchie noir. 8/10

Production companies