I am fascinated by the French films made in the last years of the sixth decade of the 20th century. The revolution in the art of cinema that was to be the Nouvelle Vague was about to break out, and in almost all the films made in the years ’57 – ’59 one can glimpse the signs of the smoldering volcano. ‘Des femmes disparaissent‘ is the second feature film made by Édouard Molinaro, a prolific and successful director who was not associated with the New Wave. His long career would evolve towards lighter and more luminous films than this violent drama with many ‘film noir’ elements set in a single night in a labyrinthine, crime-haunted city that could be Marseilles. The title is very didactic, one of the most uninspired movie titles I’ve come across, but behind it and despite the prologue written in about the same tone hides a social drama with excellently profiled characters. There are elements of modern cinematography that make watching this film an interesting experience not only for cinema history buffs but also for viewers of a wider audience.
The film begins as a neighborhood drama, in an atmosphere somewhat similar to Italian neorealist films. Pierre and Beatrice are two young people from a proletarian background. They are neighbors, in love and engaged. Beatrice wants to go out for a night out, reclaiming her independence, at least until marriage. Pierre is jealous and follows her, but a couple of gangsters are watching the place where the girls gather for the party and attack the young man. Stubbornly, he continues the pursuit and his fears prove to be well founded. The party is an opportunity to recruit young women for prostitution and ‘export’ across the Mediterranean. The confrontation between Pierre and the mobsters increases in intensity, and from here the film takes on the allure of a film noir, with the hero alone facing the violence of the bandits in an attempt to save his beloved.
Revisited more than 60 years after its making, the film is uneven, mixing elements of beautiful cinematography with old-fashioned details that haven’t held up as well over time. The story is simple and takes place over the course of a few hours of the same night, which makes it attractive and easy to follow. There is also a crescendo in the story and a quickening of the pace towards a memorable final scene. The generic and the cinematography are well done, building a ‘film noir’ atmosphere. The music is exceptional – jazz performed by percussionist Art Blakey and his band, outstanding jazz artists, among those who performed in France in the 1950s. Less successful are the sets, especially in the outdoor scenes. Filming took place, it seems, entirely in studios and the cardboard sets seem almost visible. La Nouvelle Vague that had just begun that year 1959 would almost completely sweep away this style of filming, still extremely used in French films of the 50s. Some very interesting actors also appear. Robert Hossein, a complex actor, today unfairly forgotten, plays the main role. His Pierre is a positive hero who does not disguise his shadows. Estella Blain who plays the role of Beatrice looks a lot like her generational colleague, Brigitte Bardot. She would prioritize her career in music, and die quite young. The bad guys are also represented individually and with shades of humor. I especially noticed Philippe Clay, an actor that I do not think that I had ever met before. This film made at a turning point in the history of cinema offers quite a few good reasons for viewing or re-watching even today.