Casque d'Or

Simone Signoret stars in Jacques Becker’s classic drama set in turn-of-the-century France about an upper-class woman who has an affair with a carpenter. A story of love, death and jealousy.

In 1898 in the Parisian underworld, Marie, nickanamed ''Casque d'Or'' (Golden Helmet), meets Manda, an ex-mobster, and provokes a fight between him and her lover, which results in the death of the latter. Leca, who also has a crush on Casque d'Or, denouces Raymond, a good friend of Manda, as the murderer. As he expected, Manda could not let his innocent friend be convicted in his place and gives himself over to the police. But before he sentenced to death, Manda avenges Leca's treachery and the death of Raymond, killed during an attempted escape.

Jacques Becker began his career as a director in 1942, after being imprisoned in a German prisoner-of-war camp. He is one of the only Old Guard directors revered by the Nouvelle Vague for his masterpieces, in which he vividly depicts French social milieus through careful attention to background (Antoine et Antoinette and Édouard et Caroline). His movies were also distinguished for their detailed action and penetration of character, which exerted considerable influence on subsequent série noire French films - in Touchez Pas au Grisbi, for example or in Le Trou as well .

Simone Signoret, awarded with an Oscar for the Best Actress in 1960 for Room at the Top by Jack Clayton, is known for her meaningful and strong roles, such as in The Confession, by Costa-Gavras or Les Diaboliques by Henri-Georges Clouzot. She is gorgeous and unforgivable in her interpretation of Casque d'Or, and shares with Manda, played by Serge Reggiani, a very believable destructive passion. Reggiani, acclaimed for his acting (Melville's Le Doulos) as well as his singing, is at his best in the role of a Parisian gangster.

Casque d'Or is a cornerstone of French cinema, thanks to its stunning aesthetics, and the exceptional interpretation by the lead actors.