A Man’s Neck

Year: 1933

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: French

Director: Julien Duvivier

MysteryThrillerCrime

Willy Ferrière, a gambler drowning in debt, has a greedy mistress. In a Montparnasse café he loudly claims he would pay 100,000 francs to eliminate his rich aunt and claim her inheritance. A mysterious benefactor turns the wish into a deal, the aunt is murdered, and a crook is framed. Maigret suspects the truth is more complex.

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Timeline & Setting – A Man’s Neck (1933)

Explore the full timeline and setting of A Man’s Neck (1933). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Location

Montparnasse cafe, Paris, Versailles

The film largely unfolds around a smoky Montparnasse cafe in Paris, a hub of nightlife where gamblers mingle with risk and desire. The setting evokes interwar Parisian society with its social stratifications and the murky underworld that pulls the strings behind ordinary facades. Versailles appears as the quieter, more genteel backdrop where Heurtin hides at his parents' home, underscoring the contrast between city glamour and rural retreat. The places together form a map of crime preying on wealth and appearance.

🗺️ Paris 🕰️ 1930s 🏛️ Montparnasse 🏰 Versailles

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:48

Main Characters – A Man’s Neck (1933)

Meet the key characters of A Man’s Neck (1933), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:48

Major Themes – A Man’s Neck (1933)

Explore the central themes of A Man’s Neck (1933), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:48

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Atmospheric police procedurals like A Man’s Neck

Methodical detective work unravels crimes born from desperation and vice.If you liked the methodical investigation and gritty 1930s Paris setting of A Man’s Neck, you'll appreciate these movies. This list features similar crime stories where detectives patiently unravel complex cases, set against a backdrop of cynicism and moral decay, perfect for fans of classic thrillers.

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Narrative Summary

Stories in this thread typically follow a linear investigative path, where a detective or investigator methodically interviews suspects and gathers clues. The narrative tension comes from the intellectual challenge of the case and the gradual revelation of human frailty, rather than from action or chase sequences. The journey is one of uncovering a hidden truth within a corrupt or desperate society.

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Crime stories of manipulation like A Man’s Neck

Desperate characters become unwitting pawns in a sinister, preordained game.Movies similar to A Man’s Neck, where a desperate man is manipulated into a murder plot. If you liked the themes of blackmail, being framed, and the tragic fate of the pawns, this list captures that specific narrative pattern of sinister orchestration and fatal consequences.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves a cunning antagonist who identifies a person's weakness—often debt, obsession, or greed—and expertly manipulates them into a criminal act. The protagonist is less an active agent and more a victim of a larger, more intelligent design. The story unfolds with a sense of impending doom, as the manipulated character's fate is sealed from the outset, leading to a morally ambiguous or tragic resolution.

Why These Movies?

These films share a core plot mechanism: a master manipulator pulling the strings of a doomed protagonist. They are united by a dark tone, a mood of claustrophobic suspense, and themes of blackmail, framing, and the cold, calculated use of human desperation. The emotional journey is one of powerlessness in the face of a sinister plan.

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A Man’s Neck Summary

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A Man’s Neck Timeline

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A Man’s Neck Spoiler-Free Summary

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More About A Man’s Neck

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