Summary
Paul is a stressed-out hotel manager who begins to suspect that his wife is having an
affair with another man. Gradually, his suspicions turn to paranoia and an insane
jealosy takes him over, forcing him and his wife into a living hell...
Review
This is yet another brilliantly constructed thriller from the master of the genre, Claude
Chabrol. In the best tradition of the film thriller, the suspected menace is more
imagined than real, and this film takes that notion to its absolute limit - and surpasses
it.
It is a film that charts the psychological disintegration of what appears to be a perfectly
normal man, in a perfectly happy marriage. Through a combination of superlative
acting, tense plotting and masterful photography, we are dragged along into a living
nightmare.
Few of Chabrol’s preceding films have been this intense and disurbing - his magnificent
Le boucher being probably the film which comes closest. What this film demonstrates
more than anything is the director’s complete grasp of how to construct a powerful and
believable thriller without resorting to cheap shock tactics.
What makes this film particularly special and memorable are the incredible performances
from its two lead actors, Emmanuelle Béart and François Cluzet. Béart
is equally conving in the view we see - that of the doting wife and caring mother - and
that which the deranged hotel manager sees - the beautifully seductive siren whom no man
can resist. For his part, Cluzet dominates the film and ultimately comes across
as a very dangerous and menacing character, capable of anything. The disintegration
of both characters is played with such conviction that you never for one moment doubt
the danger they are both in.
The film’s ending appears at first sight like a bit of a cop out. But, on reflection
it is actually rather clever, and probably the only way the film could end. Surely,
the point about Hell is that there is no way out?
© James Travers 2001
For more on Claude Chabrol see:
The life of Claude Chabrol
Le Beau Serge
Les Cousins
Le Boucher
Que la bête meure
La Cérémonie
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