Mauvaise Graine

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Mauvaise Graine ★★ Bad Seed 1933

Wilder (in his debut) filmed this comedy-drama (along with Esway) before heading off to Hollywood. Parisian wastrel Henri Pasquier (Mingand) impulsively steals a car when his disgusted wealthy father cuts him off. This lands Henri in with a professional gang of thieves, headed by Jean (Galle), who uses his pretty teenaged sister Jeannette (Darrieux) as a decoy. Henri enjoys his new career (and Jeannette) until jealousy gets in the way. French with subtitles. 76m/B VHS, DVD . FR Pierre Mingand, Danielle Darrieux, Raymond Galle, Jean Wall; D: Billy Wilder, Alexander Esway; W: Billy Wilder, Alexander Esway; C: Paul Cotteret, Maurice Delattre; M: Franz Waxman, Walter Gray.