Mortelle randonnée (1983)

aka Deadly Run; Deadly Circuit
dir. Claude Miller

A private detective nicknamed "Eye" (Michel Serrault) pursues a murderess (Isabelle Adjani), whom, against all rational arguments, he believes to be his daughter, lost many years ago. Shrouded in a hallucinatory haze, simultaneously dark and romantic, this psychological thriller was an oddity among the French polars of the early 1980s.

It all began with producer Samuel Bronston, who commissioned writer Marc Behm (who, by a strange coincidence, died, like Serrault, in July of 2007) to write a thriller intended either for Charlton Heston or Robert Shaw. Meeting with outright bewilderment from the above mentioned stars, the script was later transformed by Behm into the novel Eye of the Beholder, published in 1980. The book caught the attention of screenwriter Michel Audiard, who adapted it with his son Jacques for director Claude Miller. Perhaps the personal drama of losing a child, which connected Audiard Sr., along with Michel Serrault, to the film's protagonist, inspired him to write one of his best scripts (and one of his last). He used words to convey the state of obsession that increasingly engulfs the main character. Audiard's dialogues give the film a unique tragicomic, bitterly ironic tone.

The ambitious concept, the scattered filming locations, and the associated logistical challenges made Mortelle Randonnée a very expensive film, significantly exceeding its budget, and ultimately a commercial failure. Critics and audiences overlooked the film's visual beauty, preferring to applaud Adjani in One Deadly Summer and Serrault in That Is My Pleasure. Moreover, even in its homeland, the film was invariably shown in a version cut by 25 minutes, and this was the version released on American DVD in 2003. The full version, released in 2007 in France, finally allowed viewers to take the deadly journey along its full route. The film has grown in critical stature over the past two decades and now is considered an underrated gem.

Pierre Lhomme’s semi-subjective camera transforms everything—from the palaces of Brussels, the French Riviera, Baden-Baden and Rome to the gray-blue dreariness of the Île-de-France suburbs—into a grandiose, unforgettable dreamscape. Other identified locations include Biarritz, Hendaye, Montfort-l'Amaury, Charleroi, Grimbergen, Agnetz and Gennevilliers.

So far this post only covers Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Rome (thanks to Lois for sharing her Rome pictures with me.)

The Meyerganz Wedding

This was filmed at the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, 1 Avenue Ephrussi de Rothschild, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France. Béatrice de Rothschild was born in 1864. She was the daughter of the baron, Alphonse de Rothschild, a banker and renowned art collector. At the age of 19, Béatrice married Maurice Ephrussi, a Parisian banker of Russian origin, 15 years her senior, and a friend of her parents. Maurice was a gambler and his debts eventually reached 12 million gold francs. The Rothschild family decided to bring Maurice to court, and Beatrice divorced him in 1904. Béatrice's father died in 1905 and the Baroness inherited his immense fortune. That same year, she decided to construct her dream home in Cap Ferrat. The Villa was built between 1907 and 1912 and became her winter residence. She came here regularly for a period of ten or so years, dividing her time between Paris, Monaco and Deauville. In 1933, a year before her death, Beatrice bequeathed her Villa and the entirety of its collections to the Académie des Beaux-Arts.

Rome

"Eye" arrives in Rome - Stazione Termini, Rome, Italy.

"Eye" exits the station - Via Giovanni Giolitti, 65, Rome, Italy.

"Eye" visits Comolli's agency - Galleria Sciarra, Via Marco Minghetti, Rome, Italy.

Catherine's (alias Charlotte) art gallery - Via Quattro Novembre, 157, Rome, Italy.

Catherine telling Forbes (Sami Frey) a made-up story about her father - Galleria Colonna (now Galleria Alberto Sordi), Via del Corso, Rome, Italy.

"Eye" watching Catherine - Largo Magnapoli looking north, Rome, Italy.

Forbes asks "Eye" to help him cross the street - Largo Magnapoli looking east, Rome, Italy.

"Eye" looks to the right before pushing Forbes under a bus - Via Nazionale at Largo Magnapoli, Rome, Italy.

The Tenant (1976)

French title: Le Locataire
dir. Roman Polanski

Trelkowski’s (Roman Polanski) apartment building – This was an elaborate set built at the Epinay studios. The actually set had only two stories because the studio couldn’t accommodate any more. The illusion of a four-story building was created by using a large mirror laid flat on the floor.

The house used in the street scenes – 39 Rue La Bruyère, Paris, France. The bar interior was a studio set.

… and the house next door – 41 Rue La Bruyère, Paris, France.

The bar across the street – 42 Rue La Bruyère, Paris, France. The bar exterior was a false front put up for the filming.

The hospital where Trelkowski visits Simone Choule and meets her Stella (Isabelle Adjani) – Hôpital Bretonneau, 23 Rue Joseph de Maistre, Paris, France. They exit the hospital at 4-6 Rue Carpeaux. The bar "Select Bretonneau" where Trelkowski later tries to console Stella was located across the street at 11 Rue Carpeaux. The bar is no longer there.

Trelkowski and Stella are accosted by a beggar – Rue Berger at Rue Pierre Lescot, Paris, France. When the old Les Halles market was demolished in the early 1970s, the site was an enormous open pit, nicknamed "Le trou des Halles" ('The Hole of Les Halles'). The old market can be seen briefly in Bernardo Bertolucci's Last Tango in Paris.

The movie theater where Trelkowski and Stella watch a Bruce Lee film – Cinéma Concordia, 8 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin, Paris, France. The theater indeed specialized in martial arts films at the time and closed in the early 1980s. It's a supermarket now.

Trelkowski going out with Simone’s hapless admirer Badard (Rufus) – Rue Portalis at Rue de Madrid, Paris, France

Trelkowski and Badard drinking in a bar – Café de la Cigale (now closed,) 124 Boulevard Rochechouart, Paris, France. La Cantine de la Cigale opened at the same address in 2010 but with a new layout and design.

Trelkowski and Badard parting – Abbesses metro station, Place des Abbesses, Paris, France.

The bar where Trelkowski sees Stella and her friends – Still searching for this location

Trelkowski walking along the Seine – Port Debilly, Paris, France.

Trelkowski slaps a whiny little boy – Bassin Octagonal, Jardin des Tuileries, Paris, France

Trelkowski buys a wig – 20 Passage de l'Industrie, Paris, France. Many thanks to Lois for finding this location. Amazingly, the shop is still there.

Trelkowski suddenly gets out of the taxi – Rue d'Alésia at Rue Raymond Losserand, Paris, France

Trelkowski goes past a metro entrance – Rue d'Alésia at Rue Raymond Losserand, Paris, France. The entire block has since been demolished, and the Square Alésia Ridder stands in its place. The Metro entrance is still there.

Trelkowski moves into a hotel – Hotel de Bourgogne, 15 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin, Paris, France.

For some reason, the hotel window views were shot from another building across the street at 10 Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin.

Trelkowski gets hit by a car in front of his hotel – Rue du Faubourg Saint-Martin, Paris, France.

See also...

Repulsion

Frantic