Release Date

21 May, 1952

Runtime

01:57: (HH:MM)

Synopsis

Originally titled Nous Sommes Tout des Assassins, We Are All Murderers was directed by Andre Cayette, a former lawyer who detested France's execution system. Charles Spaak's screenplay makes no attempt to launder the four principal characters (Marcel Mouloudji, Raymond Pellegrin, Antoinine Balpetre, Julien Verdeir): never mind the motivations, these are all hardened murderers. Still, the film condemns the sadistic ritual through which these four men are brought to the guillotine. In France, the policy is to never tell the condemned man when the execution will occur--and then to show up without warning and drag the victim kicking and screaming to his doom, without any opportunity to make peace with himself or his Maker. By the end of this harrowing film, the audience feels as dehumanized as the four "protagonists." We Are All Murderers was roundly roasted by the French law enforcement establishment, but it won a special jury prize at the 1952 Cannes Film Festival.

Original Title

Nous sommes tous des assassins

Photos

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Actors

Marcel Mouloudji

Raymond Pellegrin

Antoine Balpêtré

Julien Verdier

Claude Laydu

Georges Poujouly

Jacqueline Pierreux

Lucien Nat

Louis Arbessier

René Blancard

Léonce Corne

Henri Crémieux

Jean Daurand

Yvonne de Bray

Guy Decomble

Monette Dinay

Yvette Etiévant

Juliette Faber

Paul Faivre

Anouk Ferjac

Paul Frankeur

Crew

André Cayatte

Georges Charlot

Auboiroux

André Cayatte

Albert Volper

Nicolas Wilcke

Alfred Marpaux

Jacques Colombier

Antoine Petitjean

Sacha Mazour

Nicole Colombier

François Carron

Robert Guisgand

René Castel