We Are All Murderers
7.1
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.
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Cast
55 people
Marcel Mouloudji
René Le Guen
Known for
Boys' School
Raymond Pellegrin
Gino Bollini
Known for
Le Deuxième Souffle
The Knock Out Cop
Antoine Balpêtré
Dr. Albert Dutoit
Known for
Diary of a Country Priest
The Counterfeiters of Paris
Julien Verdier
Bauchet
Known for
Muriel, or the Time of Return
Claude Laydu
Philippe Arnaud
Known for
Diary of a Country Priest
Georges Poujouly
Michel Le Guen
Known for
Elevator to the Gallows
Forbidden Games
Jacqueline Pierreux
Yvonne Le Guen (version française)
Known for
Black Sabbath
He Who Hesitates Is Lost
Lucien Nat
L'avocat général
Known for
This Special Friendship
Les Misérables
Louis Arbessier
L'avocat du tribunal pour enfants
Known for
Ulysses 31
The Great Spy Chase
René Blancard
Albert Pichon
Known for
Jenny Lamour
The Truth
Léonce Corne
Le colonel instructeur
Known for
Very Happy Alexander
Daybreak
Henri Crémieux
L'avocat de Bauchet
Known for
Orpheus
Donkey Skin
André Cayatte Director · Charles Spaak Writer Raymond Legrand Composer
United States release January 8, 1957 · Produced in France, Italy · Languages French, Italian
Production
Jolly Film
Production
UGC Films
Production
Labor Film
Production
France · Italy
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Nous sommes tous des assassins
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French · Italian
Release dates
France · May 10, 1952
Premiere · Cannes Film Festival
France · May 21, 1952
Theatrical
United States · January 8, 1957
Theatrical
Belgium
September 26, 1952 · Theatrical
Denmark
September 23, 1954 · Theatrical
Finland
March 22, 1954 · Theatrical
Germany
February 10, 1953 · Theatrical · West Germany
Italy
September 11, 1952 · Premiere · Venice Film Festival
October 30, 1952 · Theatrical
Mexico
June 4, 1953 · Premiere · Mexico city
Portugal
March 10, 1953 · Theatrical
South Africa
March 21, 1956 · Limited theatrical · Johannesburg
April 1, 1957 · Limited theatrical · Durban
May 13, 1957 · Limited theatrical · Cape Town
Spain
September 27, 1953 · Premiere · San Sebastian Film Festival
Sweden
February 9, 1953 · Theatrical
United Kingdom
October 5, 1965 · Limited theatrical · London
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Some details come from TheTVDB.