When small-time crook Ralph Schwarz (Charles Boyer) is released from prison early for good behaviour, he heads straight back to his girlfriend Ania, unaware that she's having an affair with Gustave, a successful photographer. Knowing Ralph's violent temper, Ania's smart move would be to drop Gustave without delay. But she's unable to resist a good thing, any more than Ralph can resist the murderous rage that consumes him when he finds out.

Set almost entirely at night or in shadowy gloom that seems to press in upon the characters, Tumultes is a dark film both thematically and optically. It doesn't leave you with a good feeling about the human race. We are, in Siodmak's vision, wretched creatures, imprisoned and ultimately destroyed by our lowest impulses. Twice in the film Ralph gets free from captivity. But his freedom is illusory. His obsessive jealousy and pride, centred around the femme fatale Ania, make his downfall a grim inevitability.

Charles Boyer is magnificent as the unlikeable but fascinating Ralph. As in the best noirs, there is a tragic dignity about this doomed anti-hero, and Boyer captures this perfectly in the lull before the final storm, as Ralph sits quietly eating an apple with his knife while he waits for Ania's latest beau to arrive.

Siodmak's other great French noir, Pièges, is perhaps a more entertaining film, lightening the darkness with comedy and with a strong-willed central character who is in control of her fate. But Tumultes is the more concentrated, complex and psychologically penetrating of the two.

French-language cinema, whether in France, Québec, or other Francophone regions, explores cultural identity, social change, and the tension between the individual and society. French cinema is not only celebrated for its intellectual experimentation and auteur traditions, but also its success in mainstream comedy, romance, and commercial entertainment. In Québec, films often focus on questions of language, belonging, and community within a distinct cultural landscape.

Jean-Pierre Léaud in The 400 Blows (1959)

The crime genre features criminal activities, investigations, law enforcement, crimes, and the pursuit of justice. Crime stories often revolve around the planning, execution, and consequences of criminal acts, as well as the efforts to solve and prevent such acts. They explore various aspects of criminal behavior, motives, and the moral dilemmas faced by both perpetrators and those seeking to uphold the law.

James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

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Fresh out of prison a small-time crook finds his girlfriend's dropped him, which sends him into a murderous rage.

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Florelle and Clara Tambour in Tumultes (1932)

Tumultes

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