Mortel Transfert

Mortel Transfert is a Franco-German thriller, directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix, adapted from the novel of the same name by Jean-Pierre Gattégno. The music was provided by the composer of Roselyne et les lions, Reinhardt Wagner. Some of the paintings in the film were produced by Pierre Peyrolle, who had designed the "Try another world" poster in La Lune dans le caniveau. Mortel transfert went into production in April 2000 and was released in France on 10 January 2001.^[1]

Synopsis

Michel Durand is a psychoanalyst who is in the habit of dropping off to sleep while listening to his patients. At the end of one session Madame Kubler does not move. What has happened? Who killed the wife of Max Kubler, the crooked property developer? Why are Michel Durand's arms hurting so much? Can you murder someone while asleep? Michel Durand needs to do something in any case, because Police Commissioner Chapireau is investigating and Max Kubler is going crazy looking for his wife.^[2]

Critical responses

The general reaction to the film was that its mixture of genres, thriller and comedy, had not gelled in quite the way Beineix had wished. Several reviewers pointed to a similarity of atmosphere with Martin Scorsese's comedy thriller After Hours. The critic from Libération applauded the black humour which he felt was reminiscent of Alfred Hitchcock's The Trouble with Harry and wondered if Beineix could have exploited the comedy element more. Pascal Mérigeau in Le Nouvel observateur suggested the film showed Beineix's profound self-disgust.

Cast

• Jean-Hugues Anglade : Michel Durand
• Hélène de Fougerolles : Olga Kubler
• Miki Manojlovic : Erostrate
• Valentina Sauca : Hélène Maier
• Robert Hirsch: Armand Slibovic
• Yves Rénier: Max Kubler
• Catherine Mouchet: The professor of maths
• Denis Podalydès: Commissioner Chapireau

References

External links

• Mortel Transfert at the Internet Movie Database