L'homme qui assassina: A dusty, dramatic detour in Istanbul

Is it worth your time?

If you have a thing for old French talkies and don't mind a story that feels like it’s being told through a thick layer of velvet, you might actually dig this. It’s definitely not for the people who need a jump-cut every five seconds or a plot that makes perfect sense. If you like your movies feeling a bit stuffy and very serious, you’ll probably have a good time.

Honestly, the whole thing feels like a dusty book pulled off a shelf you forgot existed. It’s got that specific kind of gloom that makes you want to sit in a room with the curtains drawn. 🕯️

The vibe of the thing

The embassy setting is just perfect for this kind of melodrama. Everything feels like it’s happening behind closed doors, usually while someone is looking very concerned about their reputation. Marie Bell is doing a lot of heavy lifting with just her eyes, which is good because the dialogue is occasionally as dry as a desert cracker.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of L'homme qui assassina (1931) through its definitive frames.

There is a scene near the middle where the husband is just pacing around his office, and I swear he does it for so long I started counting the patterns on the wallpaper. It’s not necessarily boring, but it’s definitely indulgent. You can feel the director just letting the camera hang out there because he likes the way the light hits the actor’s coat.

Small things I noticed

• The way they handle the blackmail plot is almost hilariously outdated, but it works in its own weird, theatrical way.
• The uniforms look like they’re made of lead. Nobody looks comfortable.
• There is a background extra in one of the café scenes who is clearly just waiting for his lunch break. I couldn't stop watching him.

I keep thinking about how this compares to something like Battleship Potemkin. It’s worlds apart, really. Where that film is all motion and anger, this one is all suppressed sighs and polite, whispered threats. It’s much quieter, maybe too quiet.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Does it feel like a film made by people who really cared about the mood of a room? Absolutely. Sometimes that’s enough to keep you watching, even when the pacing starts to drag like a heavy chain.

Just don't go in expecting a thriller. It’s more of a long, lingering look at a very bad marriage. It’s odd, a bit lopsided, and entirely too French for its own good. But I liked it well enough. 🍷