Serge Reggiani (Le Doulos) is an idiosyncratic police inspector investigating the death of a wealthy, womanizing bourgeois (Jean-Pierre Aumont) who was hated by his beautiful wife (Michelle Morgan, Port of Shadows). Director Claude Lelouch delivers his usual deft touch, carefully balancing comedy with the mystery and drama. Reggiani has all kinds of subtle dirty tricks up his sleeve to pry loose incriminating information, and he proceeds with abandon, even though he is falling for his main suspect.
“Cat and Mouse isn’t primarily a comedy, but it continually sends up the conventions of mystery fiction, and also parodies a great many movie-making gimmicks. In addition to being one of his best and most ingenious films… this the closest Mr. Lelouch has come to …attract moviegoers of all persuasions, not just the romantics in the crowd.” – Janet Maslin, The New York Times
