Night Heat [Cette nuit la]

Paris: Cinedis, 1958. Collection of 419 vintage black-and-white photographs, with original publicity ephemera, from the set of the 1958 film, "Night Heat," here under the original French title, "Cette nuit la." Featured are over 300 smaller photographs elegantly presented in two "Lavis aquarelle" spiral bound notebooks with maroon faux leather front wrappers and affixed paper title labels, with 3 or 4 photographs to a page. One notebook bears a label on the front wrapper verso noting film lab Tele-Photo, production company Sopro Film (Cinedis), film title, and photographer P. Apoteker. Several larger photographs credit photographer Francois Pages, with his rubber stamp on the versos, featuring images of actress Demongeot as she models in fur coat for onlookers, including costar Maurice Ronet and director Cazeneuve. Several photos feature cast and crew at a release party.

Brief annotations in manuscript pencil on the versos, two with rubber-stamped series number. Several photographs with annotations on the verso in manuscript ink and pencil, several with layout annotations on the recto, a few with rubber-stamped series number. Loose photographs, ephemera, and original envelopes are housed in the original French Kodak paper box, with annotations on the box top in manuscript ink, and film title affixed to the side.

Noir thriller based on Michel Lebrun's novel "Un Silence de Mort" (1957), starring Demongeot as Sylvie, married to Jean (Ronet), an executive at a fashion magazine. Jean's boss, André (Servais), obsesses over Sylvie, whose demure femininity can be fatal. An early film credit for still photographer Paul Apoteker, whose "Too Late for Love" (1959) is regarded as his first credited film. His dramatic execution would later be seen in Clouzot's "The Truth" (1960), Sautet's romance noir "Classe Tous Risques" (1960), and Woody Allen's "Love and Death" (1975). Demongeot and Ronet are amply represented throughout the collection, including a preliminary mockup of the poster art.

Photographs in large quarto notebooks 3.75 x 5 inches, loose photographs range from 3.25 x 4 inches to 8 x 11.75 inches. Photographs Near Fine overall, light curling, a handful with short creases, ephemera and notebooks Very Good plus, box Very Good.

[Book #143132]