SO DARK THE NIGHT (1946)

Famed French police detective Henri (Steven Geray), known for his relentless work in solving crimes, is a little burned out, not having had a vacation in years (and seemingly having no personal or social life), so his boss forces him to take some time out and visit the charming village of St. Margo. He stays at an inn occupied by the Michauds (the owners), their lovely young daughter Nanette, and a widow taken in as a housekeeper by the Michauds. Nanette has a touch of hero worship for Henri, and she's also a bit dazzled by his big city aura, so she spends a lot of time with him, much to the consternation of her longtime hotheaded boyfriend Leon. Seeing that Henri is enjoying her company, Mme. Michaud encourages a romance even though Leon says that he'd kill her if he lost her. But Henri and Nanette do grow close, and one night at a party held to celebrate their engagement, Leon makes a scene and storms out, and Nanette follows him. She doesn’t return and Henri falls into a depression thinking that she has eloped—until she is found dead by the river. It's assumed at first to be an accidental drowning until Henri discovers that she was strangled elsewhere and left at the river. Leon is the natural suspect and in fact, he is found dead at his farm, an apparent suicide, but Henri discovers footprints in the mud near the body and suddenly he's on the hunt for a murderer. The widow finds a note threatening more deaths, and soon Henri is tracking down a serial killer.

This is a great little film noir (a rural noir rather than urban) not nearly as well known as it should be. The director, Joseph H. Lewis, has a reputation for turning out some stylish looking B-films and this is one—evocative shots, nice use of shadows and darkness, offbeat camera angles, shots that frame people as trapped, either physically or psychologically. Best of all is a creepy lighting shift at the climax as the killer is revealed. Some critics disparage the acting of Steven Geary (pictured), a supporting stalwart who gets a rare lead role here, but I think his low-key performance is a plus for the film. The rest of the cast was mostly unknown to me but all are fine. The chemistry between Geray and Micheline Cheirel (as Nanette) is non-existent, but that actually helps to reinforce the discomfort some of the townsfolk (and the viewers) feel about the age and status difference between the two. Definitely one to seek out, available on DVD as part of the Columbia Pictures Film Noir Classics, Set IV. [DVD]