Peur sur la ville (1975)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Henri Verneuil

Writers:

Jean Laborde (dialogue)
Francis Veber (dialogue)

Release Date:

9 April 1975 (France)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | Drama

Plot:

Jean Letellier and inspector Moissac are tracking Minos, a serial killer, whose victims are womens.

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Paris | Hospital | Bank Robbery | Beautiful Woman

Cast

Jean-Paul Belmondo	...	Le commissaire Jean Letellier
Charles Denner	...	L'inspecteur Moissac
Adalberto Maria Merli	...	Pierre Valdeck / Minos
Rosy Varte	...	Germaine Doizon
Roland Dubillard	...	Le psychologue
Jean Martin	...	Le commissaire divisionnaire, Sabin
Catherine Morin	...	Hélène Grammont
Germana Carnacina	...	Pamela Sweet
Giovanni Cianfriglia	...	Marcucci
Henry Djanik	...	Un inspecteur de police
Louis Samier
Jacques Paoli	...	Lui-même
Jean-Louis Fortuit
Gilberte Géniat
Philippe Brigaud

Also Known As:

Fear Over the City (USA) (literal title)
Il poliziotto della brigata criminale (Italy)
The Night Caller (UK)

Runtime:

France:125 min | Germany:114 min | Spain:125 min | UK:90 min (cut) | USA:91 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:12 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | UK:AA (1975) (cut) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Cerito Films

Trivia:

Jean-Paul Belmondo performs his own stunts. He was coached by Rémy Julienne.

Movie Connections:

References Bullitt (1968)

JP Belmondo Chases Killers Across Paris

Jean Paul Belmondo and his associate, Charles Denner, play tough cops after two killers in "Fear Over the City." Although not listed in the credits, the city of Paris plays a major supporting role. One killer, Marcucci, is a bank robber Belmondo's character is after for killing a fellow cop during an auto chase. At one point later in the picture, Belmondo is on the roof of a Paris Metro car above ground as it goes though Paris, with the cop killer inside the train. The viewer gets a chance to see the city sights as the train zips along.

The second killer, who uses the name "Minos," wants to rid the world of sexual immorality by targeting women he finds objectionable. Belmondo gets into a gunfight with Minos while on the sloping roof of a store, apparently the Galleries Lafayette. Director Verneuil does a great job of adding thrills as Belmondo slips on the sloping roof several times, almost falling off, all the while shooting it out with Minos. The pursuit of Minos after the roof fight leads to a chase through Paris, past the Eiffel Tower and through downtown streets, Belmondo's police car after Minos, on a motorcycle.

In this movie Belmondo gets a chance to play a real tough cop, one who shoots back at a suspect, hitting him, and then ignores him as he asks for an ambulance. Instead, Belmondo takes a break, reading a magazine in the wounded man's apartment until the guy talks. There is that scene in the basement of a bar, where 38 illegal aliens from Mali rent space from the bar owner. 1975 and this movie shows illegals forced to live in double or triple bunk beds in a storage basement. Belmondo's bell bottom pants have dated, but not that basement scene nor the professionalism the cast and crew bring to this movie.