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We Are All Murderers

Nous sommes tous des assassins

Release: 1952-05-21 ·Runtime: 117m ·★ 6.6
Crime Drama

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.

Production Countries

France Italy

Production Companies

Jolly Film
UGC Films
Labor Film

Trailers & Videos

Cast

Elisabeth Hardy Elisabeth Hardy as La mère de la petite fille Raymond Pellegrin Raymond Pellegrin as Gino Bollini Louis Arbessier Louis Arbessier as L'avocat du tribunal pour enfants René Blancard René Blancard as Albert Pichon Monette Dinay Monette Dinay as La femme de Charles Roland Lesaffre Roland Lesaffre as Le détenu-coiffeur Line Noro Line Noro as Madame Arnaud Claude Laydu Claude Laydu as Philippe Arnaud Jean-Marc Tennberg Jean-Marc Tennberg as Fredo François Vibert François Vibert as Maître Mousset Henri Crémieux Henri Crémieux as L'avocat de Bauchet Yvette Etiévant Yvette Etiévant as L'épouse de Bauchet Renée Gardès Renée Gardès as La mère Le Guen Louis Seigner Louis Seigner as L'abbé Roussard Sylvie Sylvie as Laetitia Bollini Georges Tabet Georges Tabet as Le pianiste André Valmy André Valmy as P'tit Louis Marcel Mouloudji Marcel Mouloudji as René Le Guen Julien Verdier Julien Verdier as Bauchet Lucien Nat Lucien Nat as L'avocat général Paul Faivre Paul Faivre as Biribi Paul Frankeur Paul Frankeur as Léon François Joux François Joux as Saulnier Marcel Pérès Marcel Pérès as Malingré Alexandre Rignault Alexandre Rignault as Le gendarme Antoine Balpêtré Antoine Balpêtré as Dr. Albert Dutoit Léonce Corne Léonce Corne as Le colonel instructeur Yvonne de Bray Yvonne de Bray as La chiffonnière Juliette Faber Juliette Faber as Francine Saulnier Charles Lemontier Charles Lemontier as Le procureur Amedeo Nazzari Amedeo Nazzari as Docteur Detouche (version italienne) Yvonne Sanson Yvonne Sanson as Yvonne Le Guen (version italienne) Henri Vilbert Henri Vilbert as Mr. Arnaud Georges Poujouly Georges Poujouly as Michel Le Guen Jean Daurand Jean Daurand as Girard, l'homme dans la cabine téléphonique Guy Decomble Guy Decomble as Un inspecteur Anouk Ferjac Anouk Ferjac as Agnès Daniel Mendaille Daniel Mendaille as Un gardien Jacques Morel Jacques Morel as Charles Jean-Paul Moulinot Jean-Paul Moulinot as Le directeur de la Santé Jacqueline Pierreux Jacqueline Pierreux as Yvonne Le Guen (version française) Jérôme Goulven Jérôme Goulven as Noblet Solange Sicard Solange Sicard as La mère d'Agnès Edmond Ardisson Edmond Ardisson as Un garde (uncredited) André Reybaz André Reybaz as Le père Simon René Berthier René Berthier as Un monsieur (uncredited) Charles Bouillaud Charles Bouillaud as L'agent (uncredited)