Battement De Coeur (1940)

A young girl (Danielle Darrieux) who has run away from a reformatory gets herself involved with a Fagin like thief (Saturnin Fabre) who teaches young people the art of pickpocketing. She is caught during her first attempt and the victim (Andre Luguet) blackmails her into doing a theft for him. Directed by Henri Decoin, this lightweight romantic comedy benefits from an appealing performance by Darrieux in the leading role. The movie is a piece of fluff and its rather silly plot serves as an amiable way of passing the time. It's an airy French pastry that was badly remade as an over baked bagel by Hollywood in 1946 almost scene for scene as HEARTBEAT with Ginger Rogers in Darrieux's part. This one is the real deal. With Claude Dauphin, Junie Astor and Charles Dechamps.