André Cayatte

Writing

André Cayatte

Born — Died

1909-02-03 — 1989-02-06

Place of birth

Carcassonne, Aude, France

Known for

Writing

Credits

45 titles

André Cayatte (3 February 1909, in Carcassonne – 6 February 1989, in Paris) was a French filmmaker, writer and lawyer, who became known for his films centering on themes of crime, justice, and moral responsibility. Cayatte began his directoral career at the German-controlled Continental Films during the French occupation. Some of Cayatte's earlier films that addressed his characteristic themes include Justice est faite (Justice is Done; 1950), Nous sommes tous des assassins (We Are All Murderers; 1952), and Le passage du Rhin (Tomorrow Is My Turn; 1960). In 1963, he undertook a bold experiment in film narrative with a set of two films: Jean-Marc ou La vie conjugale (Anatomy of a Marriage: …

Known for

Series credits

Behind the camera

Jury of One poster
6.4

A desperate woman, whose son is on trial for murder, blackmails the judge and kidnaps his wife.

Jury of One

1974

Before the Deluge poster
6.6

The title of this French "reality" drama, which translates to Before the Deluge, is a play on Louis XVI's famous prognostication, "Apres moi, le deluge." Set in 1950, the film concentrates on five Parisian adolescents. Certain that the next war will herald the apocalypse, the youngster make plans to run off to a desert island and set up a new society. This, however, will require money, which is why the boys decide to pull off a "necessary" robbery. Idealism collapses in the face of cold reality, as the five youths suffer from the consequences of their actions. Avant le Deluge was one of a group of films cowritten by director Andre Cayatte and Charles Spaak which endeavored to explore the touchy social issues of the day: others in the Cayatte-Spaak canon include the euthanasia-themed Justice est Faite and the capital-punishment tract Nous sommes tous des assassins.

Before the Deluge

1954

Before the Deluge poster
6.6

The title of this French "reality" drama, which translates to Before the Deluge, is a play on Louis XVI's famous prognostication, "Apres moi, le deluge." Set in 1950, the film concentrates on five Parisian adolescents. Certain that the next war will herald the apocalypse, the youngster make plans to run off to a desert island and set up a new society. This, however, will require money, which is why the boys decide to pull off a "necessary" robbery. Idealism collapses in the face of cold reality, as the five youths suffer from the consequences of their actions. Avant le Deluge was one of a group of films cowritten by director Andre Cayatte and Charles Spaak which endeavored to explore the touchy social issues of the day: others in the Cayatte-Spaak canon include the euthanasia-themed Justice est Faite and the capital-punishment tract Nous sommes tous des assassins.

Before the Deluge

1954

We Are All Murderers poster
6.7

Originally titled Nous Sommes Tout des Assassins, We Are All Murderers was directed by Andre Cayette, a former lawyer who detested France's execution system. Charles Spaak's screenplay makes no attempt to launder the four principal characters (Marcel Mouloudji, Raymond Pellegrin, Antoinine Balpetre, Julien Verdeir): never mind the motivations, these are all hardened murderers. Still, the film condemns the sadistic ritual through which these four men are brought to the guillotine. In France, the policy is to never tell the condemned man when the execution will occur--and then to show up without warning and drag the victim kicking and screaming to his doom, without any opportunity to make peace with himself or his Maker. By the end of this harrowing film, the audience feels as dehumanized as the four "protagonists." We Are All Murderers was roundly roasted by the French law enforcement establishment, but it won a special jury prize at the 1952 Cannes Film Festival.

We Are All Murderers

1952

Risky Business poster
7.4

A teenage girl accuses her primary schoolteacher, Jean Doucet (Jacques Brel), of trying to rape her. The police and the mayor investigate, but Doucet denies the charges. Two other students come forward to reveal more of Doucet's misconduct – one confessing to be his mistress. Doucet faces trial and hard labor if convicted.

Risky Business

1967

Risky Business poster
7.4

A teenage girl accuses her primary schoolteacher, Jean Doucet (Jacques Brel), of trying to rape her. The police and the mayor investigate, but Doucet denies the charges. Two other students come forward to reveal more of Doucet's misconduct – one confessing to be his mistress. Doucet faces trial and hard labor if convicted.

Risky Business

1967

A Trap for Cinderella poster
5.9

Based on Sébastien Japrisot's novel, the story revolves around a young girl who suffers from amnesia after surviving a terrible fire.

A Trap for Cinderella

1965

Justice Is Done poster
6.3

Elsa Lundenstein is accused of having murdered her lover. The jury discusses the case vividly. All members are somehow prejudiced because of personal life experience and subsequently each member reads something different into the presented facts.

Justice Is Done

1950

Justice Is Done poster
6.3

Elsa Lundenstein is accused of having murdered her lover. The jury discusses the case vividly. All members are somehow prejudiced because of personal life experience and subsequently each member reads something different into the presented facts.

Justice Is Done

1950

Katmandu poster
4.9

A rebellious socially-conscious man travels to Nepal to find his dead-beat dad. There, he meets Jane, a beautiful hippie girl hooked on drugs. He's forced to steal artefacts for his father's slimy employer to earn money to help Jane.

Katmandu

1969

Katmandu poster
4.9

A rebellious socially-conscious man travels to Nepal to find his dead-beat dad. There, he meets Jane, a beautiful hippie girl hooked on drugs. He's forced to steal artefacts for his father's slimy employer to earn money to help Jane.

Katmandu

1969

Where There's Smoke poster
6.4

An election campaign becomes more interesting when anonymously published photographs depict the wife of a candidate, Dr. Peyrac, attending a sex party. Are the photographs fake or genuine ?

Where There's Smoke

1973

The Sword and the Balance poster
7.7

Three young men are suspected of kidnapping and murdering a little boy. Most likely, two of them are really involved, but one is not. All of their pasts are questionable, riddled with violence and controversy. Neither the police nor the court can decide how to solve that puzzle.

The Sword and the Balance

1963

The Sword and the Balance poster
7.7

Three young men are suspected of kidnapping and murdering a little boy. Most likely, two of them are really involved, but one is not. All of their pasts are questionable, riddled with violence and controversy. Neither the police nor the court can decide how to solve that puzzle.

The Sword and the Balance

1963

An Eye for an Eye poster
5.8

In North Africa, an anguished husband tests the character of the doctor he believes is responsible for his wife’s death.

An Eye for an Eye

1957

An Eye for an Eye poster
5.8

In North Africa, an anguished husband tests the character of the doctor he believes is responsible for his wife’s death.

An Eye for an Eye

1957

Question of Love poster
6.8

Architect Dumas dies from a bullet of his own gun in front of his house. The police suspect his young Swedish wife Catherine and her English lover Tom Hastings. After numerous interrogations, in which they entangle themselves in contradictions, they try to flee, but are soon both caught and brought to trial, he in England, she in France. Only when Catherine keeps on proclaiming her innocence, superintendent Corbier finally considers believing her.

Question of Love

1978

Question of Love poster
6.8

Architect Dumas dies from a bullet of his own gun in front of his house. The police suspect his young Swedish wife Catherine and her English lover Tom Hastings. After numerous interrogations, in which they entangle themselves in contradictions, they try to flee, but are soon both caught and brought to trial, he in England, she in France. Only when Catherine keeps on proclaiming her innocence, superintendent Corbier finally considers believing her.

Question of Love

1978

The Curtain Rises poster
7.8

1938, France, Paris, at the Superior Conservatory of Dramatic Art ("Conservatoire Supérieur d'Art Dramatique"). The first-year entrance exams are in full swing. Many applicants, few accepted. Isabelle (Janine Darcey) is one of the few chosen. She joins former students from the second and third years, including François (Claude Dauphin) and Cécilia (Odette Joyeux). They attend the drama class run by Professor Lambertin (Louis Jouvet). The young people, passionate and eager to become comedians, clash in tumultuous love affairs, because by dint of acting, they imagine that life is a farce. François, for example, is in love with Isabelle, who also loves him, but is pursued by Cecilia, his former mistress... "Put art in your life and life in your art!"

The Curtain Rises

1938

Black Dossier poster
6.3

In the 1950s, in a small provincial town, a young inexperienced judge clashes with an influential notable during an investigation into a suspicious death. His perseverance to get to the truth will cause a huge scandal.

Black Dossier

1955

Black Dossier poster
6.3

In the 1950s, in a small provincial town, a young inexperienced judge clashes with an influential notable during an investigation into a suspicious death. His perseverance to get to the truth will cause a huge scandal.

Black Dossier

1955

The Mirror Has Two Faces poster
6.3

A teacher runs an ad in the newspaper to find a wife. Afraid of beautiful ladies, he weds an ugly woman. After a car accident, he meets a doctor who offers to reveal his wife's beauty.

The Mirror Has Two Faces

1958

The Mirror Has Two Faces poster
6.3

A teacher runs an ad in the newspaper to find a wife. Afraid of beautiful ladies, he weds an ugly woman. After a car accident, he meets a doctor who offers to reveal his wife's beauty.

The Mirror Has Two Faces

1958

To Die of Love poster
6.4

A love story between a teacher, Danièle, 32 years and one of her students Gérard, 17 during the heated atmosphere of May 68. Danièle is a fiery young woman, very involved politically. Gérard's parents accuse Danièle of statutory rape and complain. Danièle is trapped and the drama begins...

To Die of Love

1971

To Die of Love poster
6.4

A love story between a teacher, Danièle, 32 years and one of her students Gérard, 17 during the heated atmosphere of May 68. Danièle is a fiery young woman, very involved politically. Gérard's parents accuse Danièle of statutory rape and complain. Danièle is trapped and the drama begins...

To Die of Love

1971

The Lovers of Verona poster
5.0

Angelo, a glass-blower from Murano, and Georgia Maglia, the pretty daughter of a fallen fascist magistrate, are chosen to be the stand-ins for the stars of a film version of "Romeo and Juliet" being shot on location in Venice and Verona. It is not long before they fall in love and their romance parallels that of Shakespeare's timeless heroes. Indeed their union is threatened by the schemings of Raffaele, the Maglia family's dubious tout...

The Lovers of Verona

1949

The Lovers of Verona poster
5.0

Angelo, a glass-blower from Murano, and Georgia Maglia, the pretty daughter of a fallen fascist magistrate, are chosen to be the stand-ins for the stars of a film version of "Romeo and Juliet" being shot on location in Venice and Verona. It is not long before they fall in love and their romance parallels that of Shakespeare's timeless heroes. Indeed their union is threatened by the schemings of Raffaele, the Maglia family's dubious tout...

The Lovers of Verona

1949

The Unknown Singer poster
5.5

Julien Mortal, a singer from Portugal suffering from amnesia, made a career in France under the name of Paolo. One day, he discovers the truth about his past: a man tried to assassinate him.

The Unknown Singer

1947

State Reasons poster
5.6

Professor Marrot obtains the secret documents containing evidence of the illegal weapon transactions between the French government, in the face of its high official Leroi, and two African countries. Before making the public statement, Marrot finds himself under surveillance. In the critical circumstances his Italian friend and partner Angela takes action and the game continues.

State Reasons

1978

State Reasons poster
5.6

Professor Marrot obtains the secret documents containing evidence of the illegal weapon transactions between the French government, in the face of its high official Leroi, and two African countries. Before making the public statement, Marrot finds himself under surveillance. In the critical circumstances his Italian friend and partner Angela takes action and the game continues.

State Reasons

1978

To Each His Hell poster
6.6

After her daughter is kidnapped, a mother discovers that there can be something even worse after "the worst."

To Each His Hell

1977

To Each His Hell poster
6.6

After her daughter is kidnapped, a mother discovers that there can be something even worse after "the worst."

To Each His Hell

1977

Montmartre on the Seine poster
5.8

Maurice loves Juliet and Michael loves Lily. Romance blossoms on the hill. They are workers, artisans, and Lily has a real talent as a singer. But Claude's arrival brings trouble to their relationships. Maurice, jealous, approaches Lily. Singing in the streets, Lily quickly becomes a cabaret star.

Montmartre on the Seine

1941

Anatomy of a Marriage: My Days with Françoise poster
5.9

The story of the couple from the very first meeting to break up told from a view of a woman, Francoise. The film shares the same plot with "Jean-Marc ou La vie conjugale", that tells the same story from another perspective.

Anatomy of a Marriage: My Days with Françoise

1964

Anatomy of a Marriage: My Days with Françoise poster
5.9

The story of the couple from the very first meeting to break up told from a view of a woman, Francoise. The film shares the same plot with "Jean-Marc ou La vie conjugale", that tells the same story from another perspective.

Anatomy of a Marriage: My Days with Françoise

1964

Return to Life poster
6.4

In France in 1946, the difficult return to civilian life of five deportees and prisoners of war after having lived through the hell of the Second World War.

Return to Life

1949

Tomorrow Is My Turn poster
6.5

Following the defeat of France by Germany during WWII, two French soldiers are taken to a German farm as forced laborers.

Tomorrow Is My Turn

1960

Tomorrow Is My Turn poster
6.5

Following the defeat of France by Germany during WWII, two French soldiers are taken to a German farm as forced laborers.

Tomorrow Is My Turn

1960

The Last Penny poster
6.8

Pierre risks being taken advantage of by an agency that sets up financial scams, he escapes thanks to Marcelle, the secretary of the director of the agency, who is a childhood friend. She does her best to keep the young man away from the scams of his boss. However, the director, in love with Marcelle and jealous of Pierre, succeeds in trapping and ruining him. Marcelle will then denounce him to the police, but before being arrested he will kill her.

The Last Penny

1946

The Last Penny poster
6.8

Pierre risks being taken advantage of by an agency that sets up financial scams, he escapes thanks to Marcelle, the secretary of the director of the agency, who is a childhood friend. She does her best to keep the young man away from the scams of his boss. However, the director, in love with Marcelle and jealous of Pierre, succeeds in trapping and ruining him. Marcelle will then denounce him to the police, but before being arrested he will kill her.

The Last Penny

1946