Just before wowing international critics and moviegoers with his adventure romp Fanfan la Tulipe, director Christian-Jaque dashed off the lampoonish Barbe-Bleue. Ostensibly the story of the famed wife-killing potentate Bluebeard (Pierre Brasseur), this lighthearted costumer begins as the title character is poised to march down the matrimonial aisle for the eighth time. Barbe-Bleue’s newest spouse Aline (Cécile Aubry) is kept in line by her husband’s claims of murdering her predecessors. But when Aline opens the famous locked door to the equally famous hidden room, both she and the audience are in for quite a surprise. The frivolous nature of Barbe-Bleue is underlined by its pleasing utilization of the French Gezacolor process.
Length 95 minutes
Pierre Brasseur | Cecile Aubry | Jean Debucourt | Robert Arnoux | Jacques Sernas | Geneviève Gérald | Georges Chamarat | Elly Norden | Hans Albers | Fritz Kortner | Lina Carstens | Arno Paulsen | Ina Halley | Henri Rollan | Denise Cormand | Fernand Fabre | Reggie Nalder | Espanita Cortez | Célina Cély | Diane Lefort | Phung Thi Nghiep | Aziza Néri | Elly Claus | Fred Barius | Diana Bel | Gérard Calvi | Henri Cote | Robert Dartois | Leila Fouad | Fernand Rauzéna | Made Siamé | Carl Wery