Occasionally witty thriller (particularly during the off-screen narration moments) grinds to a halt during the (over)extended courtroom section in the second half, though Clouzot, in one of his earliest scripts, manages to inject some humor and life into them. Henri Decoin's direction is competent but - with a few exceptions, like the opening sequence - lacking in imagination; the film is notable, however, for giving prominent roles to a young cast - quite uncommon for the time. **1/2 out of 4.