Literally means "Good to kill:, but the American title is "One Step to Eternity".

The IMDb rating is 6.4. There are only 93 votes. My opinion is that the film is well worth seeing. It's clearly a film noir done with class. It makes an impression, not least because of the very high caliber of the performances. Henri Decoin has to receive some credit for that. The settings are clean and elegant in keeping with the social stratum that's explored.

This is a suspense film that engages our curiosity in three main ways. One way starts at the end and that way frames the film into a recurring flashback structure. The second way, what the film is mainly about, is a story focused on social climbing and the uses and misuses of love. This involves 4 women and one man. It's somewhat fragmented but the script smoothly integrates its elements. The character revelations come clear, while not overdone. The touch is light. The third way is by bringing all the main characters together in one rich penthouse setting, as we wonder why and how they'll interact to create the ending.

The main drawback is not enough action to show what the characters are up to and too much talking about their actions. The film then becomes static, unless saved by tension between characters, and that's hard to maintain. Hitchcock could do it. Decoin is not up to that level in this film, much as I appreciate having the film at all.

Viewers are well-rewarded by the presence of Danielle Darrieux as Michel Auclair's first wife, and by his presence as the main social climber. She's an independent artist with some money and he's highly ambitious to be on top of the social heap. He's really good in the part in an understated performance. Corinne Calvet plays his current wife, an actress who benefited from his publicity job; but now she is divorcing him and wants 20 million. Auclair is basically an homme fatale who uses his women. His mistress, who is involved in his blackmail schemes, is played by an Italian actress, Myriam Petacci, who was the sister of Mussolini's mistress, Clara Petacci. She is more than a match for Auclair, unlike the more vulnerable Darrieux and Calvet. Auclair already has a third wife lined up, the pregnant naive daughter (Lyla Rocco) of his wealthy publisher.

What a brew this makes.