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It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

The basic question at the heart of Jacques Becker's 1952 film Casque d'or is whether Simone Signoret is worth destroying your entire life over. The logical answer would be no. She's pretty, but she ain't that pretty. Becker's answer is the opposite of mine. Serge Reggiani plays the ex-con, now working as a carpenter, who has the misfortune to be introduced to Signoret by his old prison buddy. Fed up with her gangster boyfriend, Signoret gleefully accepts an invitation to dance, and makes sure her boyfriend knows just how gleefully. That opens up a can of worms that the dummy could just as easily have walked away from unopened. All this film really has going for it is general prettiness. Not only Signoret, but the costumes and the cinematography are very nice. The story itself is entertaining enough, I guess, but for most of the film I was just shaking my head thinking how Simone Signoret was so not worth the trouble.

Casque d'or (1952) is a movie of infinite cinematographic science, skill, knowledge; not the average fine French '50s melodrama—but an impressive work of art, a delectable achievement. It offers a lot—as balance and charm. Its simplicity resides in the fullness of a great creation, of great poetry. Its value and poignancy lies, or resides rather in the execution, in the carefulness and skill of the montage, in the very advantageous craft.And this ,without being even for one moment decadent or …;the movie has the fullness of a true work of art. Notable are the balance, the tactfulness, the exquisite tone, the strength within the note of poetry. The core of poetry and creation is glowing in a story narrated with elegance and tact. Adequately filmed, it is also delightful on the other levels—as script, as acting ….It is a very simple story of passion and betrayal and lust ,with common people and thugs as characters. I believe that the film was recognized from the beginning, in the '50s, as a The minimalistic style answers the needs of the taste; yet it's never ostentatious and unnatural, but necessary and adequate; adequacy, the formula for the successful approaches.It is as well made,less lyrical and far more coherent and striking than Port of Shadows .Its inherent limitations are obvious also,given with the subject and the approach,the orientation of the film.Yet on the other hand,this lightness beyond the words,the exquisite execution, the fluid style give Casque d'or (1952) the unmistakable charm and the complete propriety, adequacy of tone.It does not explore,like The Grand Illusion or Jeux Interdits,a wide spiritual universe,or highly differentiated inner realms;yet it treats with lightness and inspired tact a humble subject.This tact itself is marvelous,because it is the most adequate and useful.Henri-Georges Clouzot's Diabolique was a thing of a thrilling and frightful moral depth;Casque d'or (1952) finds and develops,in a manly and straightforward style,the immense poetry of an unpretentious ,even sordid subject.It does so with due limpidity and insight.Its virtues are as subtle as they are simultaneously obvious and unobtrusive.This mastery defines a style--an author's achievement.Its director was,like Charles M. Schulz and others in the popular culture, the expression and exponent of a civilization.As for the Mrs. Signoret, it is maybe enough to state here that I consider her to be the second best French movie artist. She was outstanding. In a certain sense, the fact that she obviously wasn't a beauty only made more evident her acting gifts.

This is a memorable film which is beautifully constructed by Becker and features a resplendent performance by Signoret. While her cinematic presence accentuated by numerous close-ups makes this love story unforgettable, she actually comes across as too cultured and classy to be believable as an underworld sometime-prostitute. To me, the story is really about the sensual allure of women associated with the sexual underworld, especially when contrasted with women of regular society as represented here by Leonie, George's fiancé. Once Georges becomes the target of Marie's obsession, he is powerless and all of his subsequent acts are almost compelled by his involuntary reciprocation of her attentions.

Jacques Becker's "Casque d'or" is a fine example of the best in the French cinema. At times, this splendid 1954 film, keeps reminding us about paintings of the impressionist school, especially Renoir, because it takes us back to that era. In fact, the beginning of the film almost gives the impression we are witnessing characters that inspired the painters of that art movement."Casque d'or" is enhanced by the magnificent black and white photography of Robert Lefevbre who has a poetic way to get the best of what M. Becker intended him to do. The atmospheric music of Georges Van Parys takes the viewer back to those places one has seen in different paintings of that era.The lovely young woman at the center of the picture, Marie, gets taken with Manda the moment he enters the country restaurant where she is seen with some of the petty criminals she is friendly with. One realizes this is a passion that is not meant to be from the start. Marie belongs to one of the Felix Leca's gang. When Roland senses his girl has an eye for another man, he wants to take get rid of him.Georges Manda has also been to jail, but now is a carpenter and trying to go straight. Fate is not kind to Manda, who, when provoked, reveals he is not to be made a fool. Leca, who is also quite smitten by Marie's beauty plans to get rid of Manda so he can have the blonde woman all to himself. Leca, who knows his way around the law, and is friendly with the police, will prove to be Manda's undoing.What Jacques Becker achieved with this film was to create the right atmosphere to set his story. Working in France he had the access to the great movie locations one sees in the movie. The film evokes that period convincingly. The director adds touches, that even when watched today, are a delight to watch.M. Becker got good performances out of his cast. Simone Signoret at that point of her life was at her prime. Her Marie is a fine example of what she was able to project without much effort. Her beauty is evident and she plays Marie with elegance. Serge Reggiani plays Manda with conviction. M. Reggiani covered quite a lot of ground in the French cinema. Aside from his good looks, he was an accomplished actor and singer. His contribution to our enjoyment of the film made "Casque d'or" to be a classic it became. Claude Dauphin is Felix Leca, the unscrupulous man in love with Marie who will stoop so low in order to get the woman that he wouldn't have otherwise. M. Dauphin conveys the evil in Felix Leca with an economy that works well in his portrayal of this sophisticated monster.Finally, this is Jacques Becker's triumph. "Casque d'or" is one of the best films of all times.