
Behind the Facade
" 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.
Behind the Facade
Rating
7.8/10
Release Date
1939-03-14
Runtime
90 minutes
Status
Released
Cast

Lucien Baroux
Commissioner Boucheron, district police officer

Jacques Baumer
Inspector Lambert of the Sûreté

Jules Berry
Alfredo d'Avila, dancer of these ladies

Gaby Morlay
Gaby Valrose, minister's lover

Elvira Popescu
Mrs. Rameau, wife of an industrialist and mistress of Alfredo

Michel Simon
Picking, knife-throwing artist

André Lefaur
Mr. Corbeau, kleptomaniac

Gaby Sylvia
Madeleine Martin, in love with André

Andrex
André Laurent, bank cashier, lover of Madeleine

Simone Berriau
Lydia, singer at “Perroquet”, mistress of the President

Erich von Stroheim
Eric, German naturalized French

Betty Stockfeld
English, Albert's companion, Eric's mistress
Production Companies
Régina