The Most Gentle Confessions (1971): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1971, The Most Gentle Confessions is a drama and crime film directed by Édouard Molinaro, running about 95 minutes.

What it’s about. Following a robbery in a circus, a young mobster, Jean, is arrested by Inspector Borelli. The thug denies involvement. To compel him to sign a full confession, Inspector Muller encourages the suspect to get married for - he says - to move the jury. This being done, he lets Jean believe that he can spend a moment alone with his wife; but then, Inspector Borelli blackmails him: "If you sign your confession, you can spend a moment with her." After being beaten, Jean signs a confession. It is then that a new blackmail intervenes: "the name of the accomplice?", asks the inspector. But the thug refuses to denounce the latter and ends up refusing the bargain dupes. While the guards drive him back to prison, his wife cuts his veins, breaking the career of the bad policeman.

Who’s in it. The Most Gentle Confessions stars Marc Porel as Jean Dubreuil, Caroline Cellier as Catherine, Philippe Noiret as Inspecteur Muller and Roger Hanin as Inspecteur Borelli, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 9.0/10, The Most Gentle Confessions sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Most Gentle Confessions page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Most Gentle Confessions tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.