La Marie du port

Recovering from his disastrous experience with the never-completed La Fleur de L'Age, French filmmaker Marcel Carne proved he hadn't lost his touch with La Marie du Port. Played by Nicole Courcel, the eponymous Marie is the younger sister of Odile (Blanchette Burnoy). Odile in turn is the mistress of been-there-done-that Chatelard (Jean Gabin). Upon meeting Marie, Chatelard's cynicism melts away. Still, he merely toys with the girl's affections — at least until he discovers that Odile is carrying on an affair with Marie's boyfriend. Chatelard stops Marie from committing suicide, and for the first time in his life really means it when he pledges his undying devotion. Like many French films of the era, La Marie du Port was but a shadow of its former self when the American censors got through with it.