Behind the Facade
Yves Mirande1939-03-14
" He's a loser, he gets off to a bad start, but when he wants to, he always has the last word: Justice ! "
7.8
90 min
In the elevator of two large Parisian buildings, a telegraph operator discovers the body of an elderly woman, Madame Mathieu, the owner of both buildings. Boucheron, the local superintendent, is dispatched to investigate, along with his rival, Inspector Lambert of the "Sûreté". To solve the enigma, they scour staircases and corridors, visiting every floor of both buildings, courtyard and facade. Their gruff rivalry allows them to complement each other in discovering who committed the crime among a gallery of characters, humble or rich, who all have something to be ashamed of... A rare, fast-paced, picturesque comedy set against the backdrop of a police mystery.
Cast
| Name | Character | Team | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Lucien Baroux | Commissioner Boucheron, district police officer | Unowned |
 |
Jacques Baumer | Inspector Lambert of the Sûreté | Unowned |
 |
Jules Berry | Alfredo d'Avila, dancer of these ladies | Unowned |
 |
Gaby Morlay | Gaby Valrose, minister's lover | Unowned |
 |
Elvira Popescu | Mrs. Rameau, wife of an industrialist and mistress of Alfredo | Unowned |
 |
Michel Simon | Picking, knife-throwing artist | Unowned |
 |
André Lefaur | Mr. Corbeau, kleptomaniac | Unowned |
 |
Gaby Sylvia | Madeleine Martin, in love with André | Unowned |
 |
Andrex | André Laurent, bank cashier, lover of Madeleine | Unowned |
 |
Simone Berriau | Lydia, singer at “Perroquet”, mistress of the President | Unowned |
 |
Erich von Stroheim | Eric, German naturalized French | Unowned |
 |
Betty Stockfeld | English, Albert's companion, Eric's mistress | Unowned |
 |
Jacques Dumesnil | Albert Durant, stockbroker and poker player | Unowned |
 |
Missia | Joséphine, chicken trainer, wife of Picking | Unowned |
 |
Paul Faivre | Concierge of the two buildings | Unowned |
 |
Aimé Clariond | Judge Bernier, President of the Court of Appeal | Unowned |
|
Raymond Segard | Robert Bernier, eldest son of the President | Unowned |
|
Marcel Orluc | Gérard Bernier, youngest son of the President | Unowned |
 |
Marguerite Moreno | Owner of the "Perroquet" and the festivities upstairs | Unowned |
 |
Gabrielle Dorziat | Mrs. Bernier, wife of the President | Unowned |
 |
Jean Daurand | Telegraphist who discovered the corpse | Unowned |
 |
Robert Ozanne | Brigadier | Unowned |
 |
Julien Carette | Soldier, confined in the room of a “country” | Unowned |
 |
Elmire Vautier | Marie, Lydia's dresser | Unowned |
|
Lina Darwils | Tenant | Unowned |
|
Claude Sainval | Gaby's gigolo | Unowned |
|
Raymone | Madame Mathieu's maid | Unowned |
 |
Jean Joffre | Mr. Martin, blind, father of Madeleine | Unowned |
|
Lise Courbet | Paulette | Unowned |
 |
Marcel Simon | Jules, government minister and Gaby's lover | Unowned |
 |
Georges Bever | Taxi driver (uncredited) | Unowned |
|
Georges Malkine | Taxi driver (uncredited) | Unowned |
 |
Rivers Cadet | Agent (uncredited) | Unowned |
 |
Franck Maurice | Agent (uncredited) | Unowned |
|
Robert Moor | Agent (uncredited) | Unowned |
 |
Jean Wiener | Pianist of the “Perroquet” (uncredited) | Unowned |
|
Yves Mirande | Bum on the bench (uncredited) | Unowned |
|
Roger Doucet | (uncredited) | Unowned |
|
Hélène Flouest | (uncredited) | Unowned |
 |
Henri Nassiet | (uncredited) | Unowned |