无性不爱

　　自由撰稿人河上辰男死在家中。警视厅搜查一课的刑警栋居弘一良在现场勘查后发现，被喷满了雾状血迹的书架上，有一本书滴血未沾，他便起了疑心。那本书是著名作家桧山丽子的畅销小说《湖上之恋》，而且里面还有作者的亲笔签名。
　　其他刑警怀疑上了案发后失踪的河上的同居人水野伸江，而栋居却着眼于血迹之谜。河上被杀的时候，《湖上之恋》不在书架上吗？如果真是如此，凶手有为何非得把书放回书架呢？

　　Summary
　　Bullied by his matriarchal mother, abused by his siblings, ignored by his father, Poil de Carotte's childhood is as miserable as it could be. An illegitimate child, he is the main reason for the enmity which exists between his parents, who continue to live together just to keep up appearances. In the end, Poil de Carotte's suffering becomes more than he can bear...
　　Review
　　Drawing heavily on the poignant novel by Jules Renard on which it is based, Poil de carotte is a modest yet appealing film which has stood the test of time mainly because of the quality of its acting performances and its inherent humanity. It is more memorable than Julien Duvivier's earlier silent version of 1925, also named Poil de Carotte.
　　The part of Poil de Carotte was played by 11 year old Robert Lynen, who was alleged to have been discovered whilst walking down the Champs-Elysées in Paris. Lynen is totally captivating and the film made him an instant star, launching what looked like becoming a very promising film career – until he was shot dead whilst fighting against the Germans in 1944. Harry Baur, a legendary stage and film actor (who also died during World War II, allegedly at the hands of the Gestapo), also turns in a typically fine performance. The reconciliation between father and son at the end of the film provides its most enduring image, enough to melt the heart of all but the most stoical of spectators.