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We Are All Murderers

Name: We Are All Murderers
Director: André Cayatte
Released: 1952
Duration: 117 min

Representation Score

2.0/10

Limited

1952

Director

André Cayatte

Runtime

117 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

André Cayatte’s film is a critical examination of state-sanctioned violence rather than a study in demographic diversity. It prioritizes a deconstruction of the judicial system over modern characters who reflect more than one aspect of diversity. The film’s strength lies in its moral complexity, presenting the execution process as a dehumanizing ritual that challenges the perceived righteousness of institutional authority. However, the work remains tied to the social hierarchies of its time, lacking representation of LGBTQ+ identities, disability, and significant women's ability to drive the story.

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Category Breakdown

Does We Are All Murderers have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows a mid-century legal procedural format and does not include LGBTQ+ characters or non-conforming gender identities.

How does We Are All Murderers portray gender?

Limited

The story focuses primarily on male defendants and legal professionals, relegating women to minor, supporting roles with limited influence.

How racially and ethnically diverse is We Are All Murderers?

Limited

The cast and setting reflect the homogeneous society of 1952 France. The narrative does not explore racial or ethnic diversity.

How does We Are All Murderers represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film effectively critiques Western institutions, portraying the judicial system as a dehumanizing machine and questioning the state's role as a moral authority.

Does We Are All Murderers include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of characters with visible or invisible disabilities, nor are disabilities used as plot devices.

Present on Screen

Provides a powerful critique of Western institutional power and state-sanctioned violence.
Uses moral relativism to challenge the perceived legitimacy of the legal apparatus.
Offers a sophisticated deconstruction of the judicial system as a dehumanizing machine.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities and non-conforming gender narratives.
Features a heavily male-centric perspective with minimal female influence.
Provides no depiction of characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Official Synopsis

Originally titled Nous Sommes Tout des Assassins, We Are All Murderers was directed by Andre Cayette, a former lawyer who detested France's execution system. Charles Spaak's screenplay makes no attempt to launder the four principal characters (Marcel Mouloudji, Raymond Pellegrin, Antoinine Balpetre, Julien Verdeir): never mind the motivations, these are all hardened murderers. Still, the film condemns the sadistic ritual through which these four men are brought to the guillotine. In France, the policy is to never tell the condemned man when the execution will occur--and then to show up without warning and drag the victim kicking and screaming to his doom, without any opportunity to make peace with himself or his Maker. By the end of this harrowing film, the audience feels as dehumanized as the four "protagonists." We Are All Murderers was roundly roasted by the French law enforcement establishment, but it won a special jury prize at the 1952 Cannes Film Festival.

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