The Murderer Lives at Number 21

1942 1h 23m FR

👍

7.2

SOLID

🍅

80%

FRESH

⭐

7.3

IMDB

★7.2TMDB · 167🍅80%Rotten Tomatoes★7.3IMDB · 4,008

ComedyMysteryThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Paris, France. Commissaire Wens follows the lead of a ruthless murderer to an unexpected place.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Where to watch · US

Criterion ChannelSubscription

Cast

Pierre Fresnay
Commissaire Wens
Suzy Delair
Mila Malou
Jean Tissier
Triquet
Pierre Larquey
Mr. Colin
Noël Roquevert
Dr. Linz
René Génin
Alfred
Jean Despeaux
Kid Robert
Marc Natol
Armand

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Writers: Stanislas-André Steeman, Henri-Georges Clouzot
Languages: French
Countries: France

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

RUNTIME

Did you know

83 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

84 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Commissaire Wens Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, shot by Armand Thirard. 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 Yvain. 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 Christian Gaudin 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

Pierre Fresnay and Suzy Delair and Jean Tissier carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0034478 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Henri-Georges Clouzot directs. Armand Thirard behind the camera. Maurice Yvain scores. Christian Gaudin cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

183 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
284 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Commissaire Wens Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, shot by Armand Thirard. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Maurice Yvain. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Christian Gaudin shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Pierre Fresnay and Suzy Delair and Jean Tissier carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0034478 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Released under 11 different titles around the world.