Film: Joy House based on a Day Keene novel

“Joy House,” a French thriller from 1964, is the story of a gigolo and con man, played by Alain Delon, who beds the wrong wife enraging her gangster husband who dispatches a crew of bad guys to find and kill Delon. They nearly catch him before he finds refuge in the secluded mansion of a wealthy and beautiful woman, played by Lola Albright, and her younger cousin, played by Jane Fonda.

This 97-minute movie has a fast-paced and intriguing opening, followed by an exciting chase, but then falls into a boring story of Delon hiding out in Albright's mansion on the Riviera with Fonda sexually tempting him in all their scenes together. The bad guys eventually catch up with Delon again, restoring the pace and excitement to the story. There are also some odd and loopy touches and a twist that would make the movie worth watching if it had not induced an hour-long nap in the middle.

The picture was filmed on the Riviera in black and white. Perhaps that choice was for budget reasons, otherwise why shoot the beautiful scenery in anything but color?

“Joy House” was directed by Rene Clement, who four years earlier directed the excellent “Purple Noon,” with Delon from a novel by Patricia Highsmith.

The script for “Joy House” was by Clement and Pascal Jardin based on a novel by Day Keene, with dialogue by Charles Williams.

The photography was by Henri Decae, who filmed many of the French New Wave films as well as thrillers by Jean-Pierre Melville.

(For more Overlooked Films, check out Todd Mason’s blog.)