The Murderer Lives at Number 21

{{Infobox film | name = The Murderer Lives at Number 21 | image = LivesAtNumber21.jpg | alt = | caption = | native_name = | director = Henri-Georges Clouzot | producer = Alfred Greven | screenplay = Henri-Georges ClouzotStanislas-André Steeman | story = | based_on = {{based on|L'assassin habite au 21"1939 novel|Stanislas-André Steeman}} | starring = | narrator = | music = Maurice Yvain | cinematography = Armand Thirard | editing = Christian Gaudin | studio = | distributor = | released = | runtime = 83 minutes | country = France | language = French | budget = | gross = }}The Murderer Lives at Number 21 is a 1942 French comedy thriller film by director Henri-Georges Clouzot. Adapted by Belgian writer Stanislas-André Steeman and Clouzot from Steeman's 1939 book of the same title, it was Clouzot's debut feature film as a director. The film is about the hunt by detective Wens (Pierre Fresnay) for the murderer Monsieur Durand, who leaves calling cards and manages to be everywhere at once. With the aspiring singer Mila Malou (Suzy Delair), Wens follows clues to a seedy boarding house where he hopes to find the murderer.The Murderer Lives at Number 21 was the fourth film written by Clouzot for the Nazi run film company Continental Films who made films to take the place of banned American films. Clouzot made several changes from the script including the characters Mila and Wens from his previous screenplay for Le dernier des six (1941). The film was released in France to critical acclaim. Plot The police in Paris are highly concerned about a serial killer who leaves a calling card on the body of his victims, showing only the name "Monsieur Durand". The case is assigned to Inspector Wenceslas Vorobeychik (known as Wens). His mistress is the ditzy singer Mila Malou, who wants publicity to boost her struggling career. She declares she will help Wens find the criminal. Wens's first clue comes when a petty thief shows him a stack of Durand calling cards that he found hidden in the attic of a boarding house at 21 Avenue Junot: the killer must be one of the tenants. Wens takes a room there in disguise as a Protestant minister. The other tenants are a quirky lot.