The Night Caller [Peur sur la Ville] *** (1975, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Charles Denner, Adalberto Maria Merli, Lea Massari, Rosy Varte) – Classic Movie Review 11,562

France’s top Seventies action star Jean-Paul Belmondo gives an engaging turn as Commissaire Jean Letellier, a cop on the trail of an infamous gangster, bank robbers and a phone-call serial killer of young women, in director Henri Verneuil’s hugely popular 1975 thriller Peur sur la Ville [The Night Caller] [Fear over the City].

Letellier has killed an innocent bystander by a stray bullet while pursuing gangster Marcucci (Giovanni Cianfriglia, who escaped. Now, a serial killer is terrifying Parisians by phoning young women at night and insulting them about what he considers their impure life styles. Letellier is accused of letting his feud with his Marcucci get in the way of investigating the serial killer calling himself Minos (Adalberto Maria Merli), who is murdering the young women, and leaving provocative messages at the crime scenes.

There is enough red-blooded action – notably a stunning rooftop chase near the Paris Opéra – to satisfy the most jaded palate. Verneuil is an extremely competent and exciting action director and keeps it moving along very grippingly and pacily. Admittedly, the action sequences and stunts are better than the original story by Verneuil, but even so it adds up to an entertaining ride.

Jean Penzer’s cinematography and Ennio Morricone’s score are strong assets.

Hugely impressively, and seemingly dangerously, Belmondo performs his own stunts, coached by Rémy Julienne.

The film originally ran 120 minutes in France but the English language dubbed version is acceptable, though it runs only 91 minutes.

Also in the cast are Charles Denner as Inspector Moissac, Adalberto Maria Merli, Lea Massari, Rosy Varte, Roland Dubillard, Jean Martin, Catherine Morin, Germana Carnacina, Giovanni Cianfriglia, Henry Djanik and Albert Delpy.

After a film career stretching back to 1957, it is the first time Belmondo played a police officer.

Peur sur la ville [Fear over the City] was released in the US and UK as The Night Caller. It was released in the UK as the support in a value-for-money double bill with White Line Fever (1975).

Verneuil’s story was inspired by Françoise Fabian, a victim of a Peeping Tom maniac who harassed her by phone.

Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,562

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