Three things to know about… Deadly hike

Deadly hike features a private detective who follows the trail of a young murderess, in whom he believes he recognizes his daughter whom he has not seen since his wife left him… But before being a film, this story was a book signed by the American Marc Behm. And this even if the co-author of the scenarios of Charade by Stanley Donen andHelp ! by Richard Lester began developing the story with the aim of making it into a feature film. He also has a name in mind to play the main role: Charlton Heston. Samuel Bronston, the producer of The Fall of the Roman Empire by Anthony Mann and Largest circus in the world by Henry Hathaway, follows him in this adventure which, however, will remain a dead letter, after Charlton Heston's end of refusal. But Marc Behm does not intend to stop there. He therefore develops this plot in a novel which he calls Deadly hike which Gallimard will publish in its Série Noire collection… and which will thereby become a film and even two. Since in addition to Claude Miller in 1983, Stephan Elliott will also bring it to the screen in 1999 with Voyeurperformed by Ewan McGregor and Ashley Judd.

Audiard father and son

If Deadly hike finally became a film, we owe it to a certain Michel Audiard who, having fallen head over heels for the book, decided to adapt it even before this project had a director and a producer. The sudden death in a car accident of his son François in 1975 led him into darker subjects than what he had been accustomed to until then. Both as a writer (Night, day and all other nightsa very autobiographical novel where he directly evokes the drama) and as a screenwriter (the dialogues of Jail). And for this story of filiation, he spontaneously called on his son Jacques to write it with him. This will be their first collaboration, just followed by the professional for Georges Lautner. And so that Deadly hike comes to life, Michel Audiard contacts Claude Miller, his director of Jail, the film that earned him his only César, for him to direct. Which Miller will obviously accept without hesitation.

The Claude Miller-Michel Serrault reunion

Michel Audiard's desire also found an immediate echo with Charles Gassot, the producer of Jail who was looking for a project to bring together Claude Miller and Michel Serrault again behind and in front of the camera. They will not be the only ones to participate in the two films: Guy Marchand and the editor of The big mop, Albert Jurgenson, will also be there. As for the heroine of the film, if Jacques and Michel Audiard opted for an unknown woman, Claude Miller chose the opposite option: a star, a real one. Isabelle Adjani. Michel Serrault will be nominated for the César but beaten by Coluche de Chao pantin. Ditto in supporting roles for Guy Marchand and Stéphane Audran, defeated by Richard Anconina (Chao pantin) and Suzanne Flon (The murderous summer). Isabelle Adjani will triumph, but… for The murderous summer !

Isabelle Adjani admits to having been traumatized for a long time by her role in Possession