In Case of Adversity
| In Case of Adversity | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Claude Autant-Lara |
| Produced by |
Raoul Lévy Ray Ventura |
| Screenplay by |
Jean Aurenche Pierre Bost |
| Based on | In Case of Emergency by Georges Simenon |
| Music by | René Cloërec |
| Cinematography | Jacques Natteau |
| Edited by | Madeleine Gug |
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Release date
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Running time
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105 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
| Box office | 3,152,082 admissions (France) |
In Case of Adversity (French: En cas de malheur) is a 1958 French drama film directed by Claude Autant-Lara, starring Jean Gabin, Brigitte Bardot and Edwige Feuillère. It was released as Love Is My Profession in the United States. It tells the story of a married lawyer who defends a young female criminal, falls in love with her and tries to create a family with her, despite her lack of interest in a serious relationship. The screenplay was written by Jean Aurenche and Pierre Bost after the novel In Case of Emergency by Georges Simenon. The film was released in France on 17 September 1958.
Maitre André Gobillot (Jean Gabin), a distinguished lawyer in his mid 50s, defends a beautiful young woman, Yvette Maudet (Brigitte Bardot), who has committed a robbery with a toy gun and a crow bar. Despite the fact that Yvette injured an elderly woman with the crow bar, the brilliant lawyer successfully clears Yvette of the charges. Having accepted the case without payment, André's wife, Vivianne (Edwige Feuillère), assumes he wants to sleep with Yvette which proves to be the case. He also falls in love with her, putting his reputation and marriage at risk. However, Yvette is not true to him, and continually goes back to her younger, jealous lover, Mazzetti (Franco Interlenghi). André moves her to a new apartment where Mazzetti can't find her and attempts to create a small family and a happy home.
"Something is obviously missing in the French film that has been made from Georges Simenon's weirdly off-beat novel", wrote Bosley Crowther of The New York Times. He continued: "There are elements for shattering drama here. Yet, strangely, it doesn't develop. It all moves along in the groove of conventional nonconformance with the obvious social rules." Crowther called Autant-Lara "one of the best directors in France", but wrote that Bardot's performance "falls far short" and that "Jean Gabin misses, too".
François Truffaut called it one of Autant-Lara's best films and compared it to the plays of Jean Anouilh. Truffaut wrote:
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Wikipedia