Landru
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Claude Chabrol
Charles Denner
Michèle Morgan
Danielle Darrieux
Hildegard Neff
Juliette Mayniel
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
During World War I, Henri-Désiré Landru, a furniture dealer, finds it extremely difficult to support his wife and four children. Desperate for funds, he devises a plan to murder lonely, wealthy women by placing lonelyhearts advertisements in the newspaper. His first victim is Berthe Héon, a middle-aged woman whom he takes to the opera, induces to sign over power of attorney, and then murders. The venture is so successful that he quickly eliminates 10 other victims. His infamous career ends when the armistice is declared, and he stops the killings, but he is arrested by the police when he is recognized by the sister of one of his victims. Three years after the arrest, he is brought to trial. Although he charms everyone with his offhanded dismissal of the charges against him, and although the bodies of the victims are never found, he is judged guilty. All appeals are denied, and he is condemned to death. He rejects spiritual comfort and a last meal, but he does consent to a final interview with his attorney, in which he refuses to reveal guilt or innocence.
Director
Claude Chabrol
Cast
Charles Denner
Michèle Morgan
Danielle Darrieux
Hildegard Neff
Juliette Mayniel
Stéphane Audran
Catherine Rouvel
Denise Provence
Françoise Lugagne
Mary Marquet
Robert Burnier
Huguette Forge
Jean-louis Maury
Gisèle Sandre
Mario David
Claude Mansard
Sacha Briquet
Serge Bento
Denise Lepvrier
Diana Lepvrier
Raymond Queneau
Jean-pierre Melville
Henri Attal
Dominique Zardi
Crew
Maurice Albray
Georges De Beauregard
Charles Bitsch
Francis Cognani
Julien Coutellier
Bruna Drigo
Jacques Gaillard
Monique Gaillard
André Girard
Jean Grouet
Pierre Jansen
Jean Lavie
Alain Levent
Joseph E. Levine
Françoise Perret
Carlo Ponti
Jean Rabier
Françoise Sagan
Jacques Saulnier
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Portions of the film were shot on location in Paris and Gambais. When the film opened in Paris in January 1963, its running time was 115 minutes. The Rome release in March 1963 had a running time of 100 minutes. For the American release, the title was changed to Bluebeard.
For more information on the real Landru and the Bluebeard legend, see the entry for the 1947 comedy-drama Monsieur Verdoux, which was based on the infamous murderer, starring and directed by Charles Chaplin (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1941-50). Other films that have been loosely based on Landru's story or the Bluebeard legend include the 1944 Bluebeard, directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and starring John Carradine (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1941-50) and the 1960 film Bluebeard's Ten Honeymoons, directed by W. Lee Wilder and starring George Sanders.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1962
dubbed
Released in United States 1962
