Dédée d'Anvers (1948) Antwerp Noir

"The Birth of a Femme Fatale"


Directed by Yves Allégret. The film was written by Jacques Sigurd, Yves Allégret, Jacques Sigurd, and Henri La Barthe and was based on La Barthe's novel.

The film stars Bernard Blier as the owner of The Big Moon club Monsieur René, Simone Signoret as the French prostitute Dédée, Marcello Pagliero is Francesco the Italian ship captain from Napoli, Marcel Dalio is the pimp/doorman Marco.

Dédée (Signoret) is a popular prostitute working Mr. Rene's (Blier), nightclub/whorehouse The Big Moon in Antwerp's waterfront red light district. She likes to walk along the waterfront at daybreak after the club closes down and watch the ship traffic of the harbor. When she arrives back at The Big Moon she reports to Mr. Rene and to the other prostitutes what new ships have docked. The news is good if there are new ships for this means more sailors with money to spend.

Simone Signoret as Dédée,

Marcello Pagliero as Francesco

Bernard Blier as Monsieur René

Marcel Dalio as Marco. 

On the day our tale begins, Dédée has been following her usual early morning routine, walking along the edge of the harbor. When she gets back to The Big Moon, Mr. Rene asks Dédée if she's seen any Italian ships. She replies that one just arrived from Napoli. Mr. Rene is delighted at this news because the captain is a good friend of his.

A couple of dockworkers ask Dédée  if she has time to go for a walk for a quickie.

Back to the passenger ferry

The Ferry

The Lisa out of Napoli

Francesco likes what he sees

Dédée likes what she sees

When she gets back to The Big Moon, Mr. Rene asks Dédée if she's seen any new ships. She replies that an Italian one just arrived from Napoli. Mr. Rene is delighted at this news because the captain is a good friend of his.

Dédée sits down at the table to have breakfast with all the employees of Mr. Rene. Marco wants to known once again her every move. After breakfast it's time for bed for the whole house.



Dédée sleeps in the daytime with her pimp Marco (Dalio). Marco brought Dédée with him from France. Marco likes to gamble and spend money, act like a big shot. He is in debt to a gangster who wants his vig in a few days before he leaves town on a trip. Pressured Marco tries to hit up Mr. Rene for a loan. He tells him to get lost.



Mr. Rene tells Marco that the only reason he keeps him around is because Dédée is very popular. Marco goes to stall the gangster once again asking for some more time.

The gangster and Marco

Marco starts to get more desperate and pushes Dédée to pull more tricks. When the club is slow Dédée goes out and sell her ass on the street. She picks up the richer tricks who drive around looking for sex. She makes them happy.

That night during her session out on the street she watches a street fight between dockworkers down by the wharf. She runs to a doorway to escape the running fighters when they hear the police sirens.

The first meet Francesco and Dédée

There she meets Francesco an Italian ship captain. They walk together away from the police.

They talk. When Dédée finally gets around to it she tells Francesco that she works at The Big Moon. It doesn't bother Francesco. He tells her to give Mr. Rene a message then that he has to go to another town for a few days and that he will drop in to The Big Moon when he gets back.

Over the course of the next couple of days they fall in love. Francesco promises to take her with him, when he leaves Antwerp for Napoli. Mr Rene is happy for Dédée and gives her his blessing but Marco is not pleased and he gets desperate heads out the night before Dédée plans to leave with a gun  to kill Francesco.  It goes Noirsville.

Noirsville

The birth of a Femme Fatale - arrest is too good for Marco

Marco is toast

Dédée d'Anvers has got quite a surprising ending, no Hollywood studio suits meddling here. Its a film that some say put Simone Signoret on the map. She looks a lot like Lauren Bacall in this film. It has some excellent cinematography. 7/10