L' Épave (1949)

The overripe French drama L’Épave (1949) tells of the eccentric bond that develops between a muscular diver (André Le Gall) and a peripatetic beauty named Perrucha (Françoise Arnoul). When Mario (Le Gall) encounters Perrucha in the waiting room at the train station, the pair develops an amorous attachment. But when Perrucha tries to leave the man to pursue a singing career, he grows sinister and violent, threatening to commit suicide at the bottom of the sea. Willy Rozier's offbeat gem is perhaps most surprising for its liberal approach to the female form--Arnoul, an Algerian-born sensation, catapulted to popularity on the strength of her risqué star turn here.