aka Rendez-vous de Noël
Initial release date: 04/10/1961
International release information: Italy – L’appuntamento (06.12.61); Germany – Hinter fremden Fenstern (03.04.62 – 128′), International – Rendezvous
France / Italy
Produced by: Cinétel (Paris), Silver Films (Paris), Incei Film.
Director: Jean Delannoy
Story & screenplay: Jean Delannoy, Pierre Bost, Jean Aurenche
Cinematography: Robert Juillard
Music: Paul Misraki
Cast: Pascal Bressy (Bruno), Marie-Claude Breton (Catherine), Robert Dalban (Le patron du bistrot), Lud Germain, Annie Girardot (Madeleine), Grégoire Gromoff, Patrice Habans, Marcel Loche, Elsa Maltzer (Ellen), Toni Murena, Philippe Noiret (Inspecteur Maillard), Andréa Parisy (Daphné), Jean-Claude Pascal, Michel Piccoli (Paul), Jean-François Poron (Daniel), George Sanders (J.K. / Kellermann), Odile Versois (Edith)
Plot: Upper-crust intrigue, murder, and passions are mixed together in this routine, slow-paced murder mystery by Jean Delannoy. A wily photographer has been murdered, and there are several suspects. The victim was a blackmailer, and his target was a wealthy family headed by the rich and ruthless J.K. (George Sanders), now married to a woman of opulent means. It turns out that the blackmailer was the lover of J.K.’s former wife Madeleine (Annie Girardot in one of her early starring roles), and J.K. himself seems not to have forgotten Madeleine in spite of their divorce. Naturally, he is one of the primary suspects in the case. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
Notes: Not much Italian involvement in this one, beyond co-production duties from Incei. This can be chalked up as another of the French films which used some kind of Italian input as a means of accessing local funding. As well as Girardot, there are also early turns from two cinematic icons: Philipe Noiret and Michel Piccoli