''A Certain Monsieur Jo'' (French: ''Un certain Monsieur Jo'') is a 1958 French

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

directed by

René Jolivet René Jolivet (1898–1975) was a French screenwriter and film director. He co-directed the 1956 adventure film ''The Adventures of Gil Blas''.Klossner p.11 Selected filmography * '' Women's Prison'' (1938) * ''Angelica'' (1939) * ''La traditio ...

and starring

Michel Simon Michel Simon (; 9 April 1895 – 30 May 1975) was a Swiss-French actor. He appeared in many notable French films, including ''La Chienne'' (1931), ''Boudu Saved from Drowning'' (1932), ''L'Atalante'' (1934), '' Port of Shadows'' (1938), '' The H ...

Geneviève Kervine Geneviève Kervine (1931–1989) was a French film actress. Born in Dakar in French Senegal, she emerged as a star in the 1950s and was awarded with the Prix Suzanne Bianchetti for the most promising actress in 1955. She was married to the sing ...

and Jacques Morel.Rège p.541 The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Lucien Carré Lucien Carré (born 1904) was a French art director Capua p.127 active in the French cinema designing film sets from the late 1920s to the late 1950s. He worked frequently with the director André Hunebelle as well as Julien Duvivier and Anatol ...

Synopsis

A former

gangster A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...

now happily retired and running an

inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...

on the banks of the river

Marne Marne can refer to: Places France *Marne (river), a tributary of the Seine *Marne (department), a département in northeastern France named after the river * La Marne, a commune in western France *Marne, a legislative constituency (France) Nethe ...

, is pulled back into his former life when a pair of

kidnapper In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...

s bring a girl they have taken to his inn and demands he shelter them.

Cast

as Joseph 'Jo' Guardini *

as Simone Couturier * Jacques Morel as Inspecteur Loriot *

Raymond Bussières Raymond Bussières (3 November 1907 – 29 April 1982) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 160 films between 1933 and 1982. He was born in Ivry-la-Bataille and died in Paris. He is buried in Marchenoir. He was married to the ac ...

as Louis *

Jean Degrave Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jean ...

as Alfred Léonard * Joëlle Fournier as Yvette Lemarchand *

Roger Legris Roger Legris (3 July 1898 – 22 May 1981) was a French actor. Selected filmography * '' On the Streets'' (1933) * '' The House on the Dune'' (1934) * ''The Devil in the Bottle'' (1935) * ''Counsel for Romance'' (1936) * ''Wells in Flames'' (19 ...

as L'aveugle *

Gabrielle Fontan Gabrielle Fontan (16 April 1873 – 8 September 1959) was a French film actress. She appeared in more than 120 films between 1927 and 1959. Selected filmography * '' Misdeal'' (1928) * '' The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard'' (1929) * '' The La ...

as Mme. Michel *

Gina Manès Gina Manès (born Blanche Moulin; 7 April 1893 – 6 September 1989) was a French film actress and a major star of French silent cinema. After an early appearance in a Louis Feuillade film, she had significant roles in films of Germaine Dulac and ...

as Lolo * Véronique Simon as Mado *

Henri San Juan Henri is an Estonian, Finnish, French, German and Luxembourgish form of the masculine given name Henry. People with this given name ; French noblemen :'' See the ' List of rulers named Henry' for Kings of France named Henri.'' * Henri I de Mon ...

as Villequin *

Jean Daurand Jean Daurand (1913–1989) was a French actor. He starred in ''La Nuit Merveilleuse'' and ''Derrière la Facade''. Selected filmography * ''Rothchild'' (1933) * ''Le secret d'une nuit'' (1934) * ''Pension Mimosas'' (1935) - Un groom (uncredit ...

as Le cafetier *

Christian Brocard Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

as Le boulanger livreur *

Jack Ary Jack Ary (1919–1974) was a French film and television actor.Arnaud p.278 Selected filmography * ''My Wife Is Formidable'' (1951) - Un pensionnaire de l'hôtel (uncredited) * ''Massacre in Lace'' (1952) - Un danseur (uncredited) * ''Monsieur Le ...

as Charlot *

Michel Salina Michel may refer to: * Michel (name), a given name or surname of French origin (and list of people with the name) * Míchel (nickname), a nickname (a list of people with the nickname, mainly Spanish footballers) * Míchel (footballer, born 1963), ...

as Commissaire Leclerc

References

Bibliography

* Rège, Philippe. ''Encyclopedia of French Film Directors, Volume 1''. Scarecrow Press, 2009.

External links

* 1958 films 1958 crime films French crime films 1950s French-language films Films directed by René Jolivet French black-and-white films Films scored by Joseph Kosma 1950s French films {{1950s-France-film-stub