A series of brutal attacks, mainly on women and children, are traced to a mysterious Monsieur Opale, whom the respected Dr. Cordelier claims as a friend. One day, the doctor’s lawyer discovers that his client and Opale are one and the same, the doctor having created his alter ego by means of a drug. This re-telling of the Jekyll-Hyde legend adheres to Renoir’s long-standing ‘leitmotiv’ of the individual who must stand alone because he is incapable of conforming. The original Robert Louis Stevenson story is updated, making several pointed comments about the good/evil dichotomy of the modern world. Renoir used up to 8 cameras and 12 microphones which gives the film a fluid, rough-edged, spontaneous appeal. This production was first conceived as a live TV play. The director’s method of cutting only after each sequence allowed the actors to determine their own speed.
Credits: Producer, Albert Hollebecke ; director, Jean Renoir ; writer, Jean Renoir ; photography, Georges Leclerc ; music, Joseph Kosma.
Cast: Jean-Louis Barrault, Teddy Bilis, Michel Vitold, Jean Topart, Micheline Gray, Jaque Catelain, Gaston Modot, Regine Blaess.
Content notification
Our collection comprises over 40,000 moving image works, acquired and catalogued between the 1940s and early 2000s. As a result, some items may reflect outdated, offensive and possibly harmful views and opinions. ACMI is working to identify and redress such usages.
Learn more about our collection and our collection policy here. If you come across harmful content on our website that you would like to report, let us know.
How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
X000338
Languages
English
French
Subject category
Foreign language films
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Black and White
Holdings
16mm film; Limited Access Print (Section 2)