quai de orfevres take too long get go and with clouzot so enamor of his back stage milieu that he be almost in danger of forget the story . however and once it do and it clouzot at his best . bertrand blier ( father of bertrand blier and co star of his buffet froid ) be the worldworn pianist who marry beneath himself and who plan to kill the seedy studio mogul with design on his wife only to find that someone have beat him to it . not only that and but his carefully plan but clumsily execute alibi fall to piece and not least when a thief steal his car at the murder scene the film really kick into life with the arrival of luis jouvet police inspector and a rather wonderful creation half alistair sim in green for danger and half world weary maigret with good dialog . in a neat running gag and his investigation be constantly conduct at the top of his voice against chaos and noise and whether it be the noisy typewriter of the police station or a loud rehearsal . the police station itself be a wonderfully realistic creation and a wealth of chaotic and tell small detail that make steve bocchco once revolutionary 80 u cop show look like antiquate museum piece by comparison . if suzy delair be a rather unconvincing femme fatale and the support cast more than compensate and with the beautiful simone renant a standout a the lesbian photographer in love with her from afar and constantly mistake for blier lover by delair and other interested party ( only jouvet and similarly unlucky with woman and understands and genuinely sympathises ) . with great black and white photography by armand thirard and this be a terrific little thriller with a nice twist end and a lovely scene with a cab driver reluctantly identify renant in a police station . ( trivia note represent pierre larquey and who play the playfully philosophical dr vorzet in le corbeau and turn up in small role a a cab driver in both quai and les espions . ) the criterion dvd be quite superb great picture quality plus an illuminating extract from a french tv show feature interview with clouzot and blier and renant .