The Burning Court
Cast & Crew
Julien Duvivier
Nadja Tiller
Jean-claude Brialy
Perrette Pradier
Claude Rich
Duvallès
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
According to legend there is a curse on the ancient castle of the Desgrèz family. Years before, the mistress of one of their ancestors was accused of witchcraft; and when she was burned at the stake, she cursed her lover and his descendants. Now living at the castle is Mathias Desgrèz, an ailing eccentric who is a student of black magic and sorcery. Visiting the old man are his two bickering nephews, Stéphane and Marc, and the latter's wife, Lucie. Also present are mystery writer Michel Boissard and his wife, Marie. On the night of a costume ball the housekeeper sees a shadowy figure, which she believes to be Lucie, give a drink to Mathias. The next morning the old man is found dead from poisoning, and Lucie becomes the chief suspect since she and Marc are the beneficiaries of Mathias' will. It is then disclosed that Mathias' nurse, Myra, is Marc's mistress and that she has been administering cumulative doses of arsenic to Mathias but was not responsible for the final, lethal drink. The two lovers quarrel violently over the sudden turn of events, and Marc drowns Myra. Though Marc confesses to his crime, the murder of Mathias remains unsolved.
Director
Julien Duvivier
Cast
Nadja Tiller
Jean-claude Brialy
Perrette Pradier
Claude Rich
Duvallès
Walter Giller
Edith Scob
Antoine Balpêtré
René Génin
Héléna Manson
Dany Jacquet
Catherine Thévenin
Carl Brake
Crew
Georges Auric
Tanine Autre
Ralph Baum
E. Birk
H. Böhm
Nicole Bouban
Nicole Cayatte
Paul Cayatte
Guy Chichignoud
Julien Duvivier
Roger Fellous
Yvonne Fortuna
Jochen Graubner
René Grobert
Yvon Guézel
H. Langhammer
Rolf Lantin
Peter Martin
Annie Maurel
Suzanne Pinoteau
Michel Romanoff
Willi Schatz
René Schneider
Robert Schneider
Werner Schröder
Gisela Sixt
Charles Spaak
Charles Spaak
Michel Suné
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Released in West Germany as Das brennende Gericht in February 1962; running time: 113 min; opened in Paris in March 1962 as La chambre ardente; running time: 110 min; released in Italy as I peccatori della foresta nera.
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Summer July 31, 1963
Released in United States Summer July 31, 1963
