Accusée... levez-vous!

"Accusée.... Levez-Vous!" begins well, as a celebration of sound and female flesh (in the form of underdressed French showgirls). In its combination of murder and show business, it predates the minor Hollywood classic "Murder At The Vanities" (1934). But when the action moves to the courtroom (as the title implies that it will), it becomes talky and overindulgent, especially in the case of an elder ex-actor / now-stage manager who is allowed to ramble on for centuries, for supposed comic effect. Still, the film boasts excellent use of sound, a well-done final unmasking of the killer, and a beautiful female lead (Gaby Morlay). **1/2 out of 4.