Sois belle et tais-toi (1958)

"Be Beautiful But Shut Up" is said to be one of director Marc Allégret's worst works. This comedy thriller were meant to feature Henri Vidal and Mylène Demongeot, and it didn't do well when it was released, but now it's wanted because it's the first film which brought Alain Delon and Jean-Paul Belmondo together, both as young criminals. The two monstres sacrés would reunite only in Paris brûle-t-il? (1966), Borsalino (1970), and Une chance sur deux (1998).

L-R: Olga, Virgine, Prudence, Loulou, Pierrot

The story of Be Beautiful But Shut Up is not hard to follow: Having escaped from a reform school, Virginie (Mylène Demongeot) joins a band of petty criminals led by Loulou (Alain Delon). She is caught by the police in a stolen car which has been used to rob emeralds. Inspector Morel (Henri Vidal) believes that she can lead him to Charlemagne - the robber (Roger Hanin). Virginie-Morel relationship begins by misunderstanding, but they end up in a marriage and they learn to love each other day by day. Meanwhile, Charlemagne's fence hides the emeralds into an old camera which should be transported over the border by Loulou and his gang. The very camera is now in the hand of Virginie. When the fence is dead, Inspector Morel has a suspicion upon his wife and he sets a trap on her.

I myself find this movie quite entertaining. The story is simple and easy to follow, plus there are funny moments with Inspector Jerome (Darry Cowl) - how he could reach that position is a big question. Mylène Demongeot's Virginie is a lovely, merry girl who doesn't forget her friends who have helped her when she was in troubles. Young Delon & Belmondo showed that dangerous scenes were not a problem for them.