Witness in the City

1959 1h 29m FR

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 50

CrimeThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Industrialist Pierre Verdier kills his mistress Jeanne Ancelin by throwing her off a train. Her husband, Ancelin, decides to take revenge on his wife's murderer, who has been acquitted by justice.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon VideoRent

Amazon VideoBuy

Cast

Lino Ventura
Ancelin
Jacques Berthier
Pierre Verdier
Daniel Ceccaldi
Italian taxi customer
Robert Dalban
Raymond, taxi driver
Micheline Luccioni
Germaine, radio taxi
Franco Fabrizi
Lambert, night radio taxi
Janine Darcey
Owner of the hotel
Jacques Monod
Verdier's lawyer

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Édouard Molinaro
Writers: Édouard Molinaro, Gérard Oury, Alain Poiré
Languages: 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

RUNTIME

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

67 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

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 Édouard Molinaro, shot by Henri Decaë. 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 Barney Wilen. 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 Monique Isnardon 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

Lino Ventura and Jacques Berthier and Daniel Ceccaldi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0052571 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Édouard Molinaro directs. Henri Decaë behind the camera. Barney Wilen scores. Monique Isnardon cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in France, Italy. Dialogue in French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

189 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
267 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3International production across 2 countries: France, Italy.
4Directed by Édouard Molinaro, shot by Henri Decaë. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Barney Wilen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Monique Isnardon shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Lino Ventura and Jacques Berthier and Daniel Ceccaldi carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0052571 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 50 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.