 The argot slang that the novel was written in was incomprehensible  to writer/director Jules Dassin, so much so that he had to have the  producer who suggested it, read it to him. The producer initially  refused because he had been courting a woman for some time and had  "plans" that night. Dassin told him that hed lost his woman and  that he had to come over and read it to him (which he did). When he  finally understood the story he claims that he was "shocked" by its  content (the story involves necrophilia, amongst other things) and  was prepared to tell Henri Bérard that he didnt want to do the  film. What changed his mind was his blacklist