The Red Inn (1951)

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Absolutely the worst movie.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

This is a fantastic, and fantastically one-off, creepy little comedy that I'd never even heard of before but now wish everyone could see. A desolate, snow-bound 19th century inn lures passing travellers to their doom until a monk and his apprentice happen by to take shelter for the night.As another reviewer here pointed out, it's very much cut from the same cloth as Arsenic And Old Lace, Kind Hearts And Coronets or maybe even Murder By Death. If you like any of those, you'll probably find something to like in this too, with the added bonus of all that snow and eerie atmosphere.It strikes me once again how French cinema was so far ahead of perhaps every other country in the 1950s in terms of freedom of speech and a grown-up worldview. During the years of the Hays Code censorship, Hollywood became forcibly infantilized and incapable of addressing religion, sex and the realities of life in general in any kind of adult manner whatsoever. This movie feels much more like one of Grimm's original fairy tales than the Disney animated version that would have been made in America at the same time.The subtitles in the copy I saw were very poor, and let down much of the comic delivery. This would be an ideal candidate for a Criterion restoration and release.

The crimes of the Peyrebeille inn, in the Ardèche District, by the owners, the Martin couple and their servant Fétiche, horrified 1830 France, therefore earning the inn itself the nickname "auberge rouge", the "red inn".This famous, horrific serial-killing case, taking place in an isolated and lugubrious inn, in that deserted part of France, was too tempting not to make it into a film.The genius of Claude Autan-Lara is to triple it with both a Social and a religious critic ; and to put the icing on the cake, he chose Fernandel, then the undisputed French comical character, for the first role, the role of the monk...Yet one cannot find a darker comedy, and that is probably the greatest charm of the film itself.Summary : in their isolated inn, during a winter snowstorm, the Martins just killed their uptenth victim, a poor barrel organ player, but his pet monkey managed to escape ; at the same time, a monk and a novice ready moving to their convent walk painstakingly in the snow, hoping to find a hospitable home in the way, just as the stagecoach to Privas, carrying eight people including the own daughter of the Martins, is forced to make a stop at the inn for a night.The scenario would be all to familiar if it weren't for the fact that Mrs Martin is determined to confess herself to the monk ; but she does so only at the condition that the monk won't repeat a word she'll tell him, under the holy secret of confess.From that moment, the film turns to an oppressive closed-doors drama, stuffed with tragic-comical situations, twists and turns, as poor Fernandel is torn between his duty to save his Christian brethren, and his duty not to reveal in any way the horrible truth, and the fate, not only of the stagecoach passengers, but most probably of his novice and himself.It is said that Fernandel, who never refused any film but was a devout catholic, was so shaken by the film that he never spoke again to Autan-lara and gratefully took the role of Don Camillo, the good-doing Italian vicar, as a sort of expiation.And it's true that everything has been put in place in this film to make it ambiguous, thick, oppressive despite all of its comical aspects...And that's what makes it a must-see!

Of course, there will always be some narrow-minded people to remain highly prejudiced against death - especially their own - while in fact, let's say it, death can be so funny ! Unforgettable comedies such as 'Arsenic and Old Lace' (USA), 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' (Britain), 'Divorzio all'italiana' (Italy), 'El Verdugo' (Spain) and of course 'L'Auberge rouge' (France) all should have been granted, in their time, some kind of prestigious Dark Humour or Macabre Humour prize. (Maybe we could call it the Golden Guillotine Award ?) Adapted from a true crime story that took place in 1833 - the Auberge de Peyrebeille affair - this witty gem was remarkably well cooked by screenwriters Jean Aurenche and Pierre Bost and director Claude Autant-Lara, decidedly at the top of their game with this black comedy featuring some inimitable acting à la française : Fernandel, hilarious as always, Julien Carette as truculent as a peasant serial killer can be, and above all the great (and diabolical !) Françoise Rozay, accompanied by a bunch of crunchy second-roles specialists, PLUS the very cool song "La Ballade de l'Auberge rouge" sung by Yves Montand himself! 'L'Auberge rouge' is a great French classic, providing amusement, remarkable atmosphere and even joie de vivre - for those who survive !

French Best Humorist Fernandel was at His peak when he made this movie in 1951..he hated it and never spoke again to its Director Autant-Lara .. The Movie was a Smash but you can easily understand Fernandel's reaction..he is clearly upstaged by the much interesting couple of killers played by Rosay and Carette..The Movie is based on a true story and could be a very good thriller .