Summary
Julie Wormser lives in comfort in St Tropez with her wealthy husband, Louis, who drinks
too much and is impotent. By chance, she meets an attractive young writer, Jeff,
with whom she starts to have an affair. The two lovers plan to murder Louis and
make his death look like a boating accident. Unfortunately, things do not go according
to plan. Julie is horrified to learn that not only does her husband disappear, but
so does all his money - and then her new lover...
Review
Les innocents aux mains sales is a well-crafted and thoroughly watchable piece
of French cinema. The plot, with its stunning twists, is brilliant and - surprisingly
unpredictable. The sub-plot of the policemen coming up with an apparently
unshakeable theory to explain developments immediately after we have just arrived at the
same - incorrect - conclusion is a very clever and effective plot device, emphasising
the surprise element in what follows. (If the police believe what we believe, then
we must be right - mustn’t we?)
The acting is generally of a high standard, with particularly impressive performances
from Romy Schneider and Rod Steiger. Schneider’s reaction to events beyond
the control of her character is very impressive, convincingly making her the victim in
a particularly cruel game of deceit. Steiger’s portrayal of the cheated husband
is deeply menacing, especially in the scene where he apparently comes back from the dead
to confront his wife. Chabrol needed a heavyweight actor for this part, and Steiger
proves that he made precisely the right choice.
The script is of an unsually high quality for a Chabrol thriller, whilst the direction
and photography are typically up to Chabrol’s impressive high standard. The background
music is a little melodramatic in places, but overall it adds to the atmosphere and helps
to create a mood of menace and tension throughout the film’s duration.
© James Travers 2001
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