Les Salauds Vont En Enfer (aka The Wicked Go To Hell) (1955)

In a tough penitentiary, two inmates (Henri Vidal, Serge Reggiani) fend off rumors that one of them betrayed a recently executed prisoner. They join forces and escape, hiding out in a beach cabin where they take the young occupant (Marina Vlady) hostage after killing her lover (Guy Kerner). Based on the novel by Frederic Dard and directed by actor Robert Hossein (NUDE IN A WHITE CAR), who also has a small role in the movie. A strange little movie that I found rather pointless although I was caught up in its story. The two main protagonists are vicious criminals without any redeeming value so why should we care about them at all? Marina Vlady's ambiguous beauty brings some needed conflict to the story. It's clear she plans to avenge her murdered lover but we're never sure if she's stringing the escaped convicts along or if she's sexually attracted to them. It all comes down to when is she going play her winning hand. With Jacques Duby and Marthe Mercadier.