Je suis un sentimental (1955)

John Berry was a director who had to leave his country ,after Edward Dmytryk informed against him,in the McCarthyism days ;he spent much time in France where he made a handful of movies,none of which is particularly memorable .

"Je Suis Un Sentimental " is a rather stupid title ;Berry seems torn between true film noir (an innocent man is to die on the guillotine)and a spoof on it (many scenes ,notably in the hospital or in the court,verge on farce) After so many blue jokes,Eddie Constantine and his "extra texture!extra texture!read all about it!" seem irrelevant;the story of the journalist ,selfish,careless and indifferent ,who becomes a lawman,had been told with much greater strength by Henry Hathaway in his classic "call north 777"(1948);also handicapped by starlet Bella Darvi's amateurish playing:as a lawyer trying to save her client from the guillotine,she's about as convincing as a Barbie Doll worrying about her new dress.

Some characters (the noble,his son,the actor performing Hamlet ) might have been interesting,had they been more developed .

Constantine has plenty of go,but he was never given truly decent material.