Joy House

This 1964 thriller from acclaimed French director René Clément impressed savvy American cineastes with its tale of seduction and murder set against the glamorous backdrop of the French Riviera, beautifully photographed in crisp b&w. Teaming Gallic leading man Alain Delon with stateside stars Lola Albright and Jane Fonda, Joy House revolves around a suave con man named Marc (Delon) who finds himself marked for death after enjoying a torrid affair with a mobster's wife. On the lam and looking for a place to cool off, Marc takes a temporary job as live-in chauffeur to wealthy American widow Barbara (Albright), but before long he's fending off the amorous advances of both this enigmatic woman and her sexy young cousin Melinda (Fonda). And that's only the tip of the iceberg: the smooth grifter may be embroiled in a dangerous scheme that makes him the mark. Although the DVD transfer is unimpressive overall, the stylish and sophisticated Joy House will appeal to thriller fans with its combination of familiar film noir elements from vintage Hollywood fare and the more naturalistic (and erotic) approach of European crime films during the ‘60s. DVD extras include a French-dubbed version with English subtitles. Recommended. (E. Hulse)