• Rating:
• Genre: Drama
• Movie Type: Marriage Drama, Psychological Drama
• Themes: Crumbling Marriages, Domestic Violence
• Director: Claude Chabrol
• Main Cast: Emmanuelle Béart, François Cluzet, Nathalie Cardone, Marc Lavoine, André Wilms
• Release Year: 1994
• Country: FR
• Run Time: 105 minutes

Plot

This French drama about the relationship between an insanely jealous man and his wife took 30 years to make. Since its inception by the late director Henri-Georges Clouzot the film was plagued with bad luck. He began filming it in 1964. There are only two characters in the film and on the third day of shooting the female lead became gravely ill. Later during rehearsals with a new actress, the director had a heart attack. Though he lived until 1977, he never got around to finishing it. The script was passed on to producer Marin Karmitz by Clouzot's widow. Paul wanted to buy the beautiful resort hotel he worked at for 15 years. His happy and spirited wife Nelly goes along with it. She is already a mother and contented with her life. Paul, who incurred tremendous debts to get the hotel, is not so happy. He is stressed to the breaking point. After he suspects his wife of philandering he slowly goes insane. He also begins increasing his consumption of alcohol and sleeping pills. Their lives become a living hell. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Emmanuelle Béart - Nelly
• François Cluzet - Paul Prieur
• Nathalie Cardone - Marylin
• Marc Lavoine - Martineau
• André Wilms - Doctor Arnoux

Christiane Minazzoli - Mme Vernon; Dora Doll - Mme Chabert; Mario David - Duhamel; Jean-Pierre Cassel - M. Vernon; Sophie Artur; Thomas Chabrol - Julien; Pierre-Francois Dumeniaud - M. Lenoir; Yves Verhoeven - Young Boy; Noel Simsolo - M. Chabert

Credit

Claude Chabrol - Director; Claude Chabrol - Screenwriter; Matthieu Chabrol - Composer (Music Score); Henri-Georges Clouzot - Screenwriter; Monique Fardoulis - Editor; Emile Ghigo - Art Director; Corinne Jorry - Costume Designer; Marin Karmitz - Producer; Bernard Zitzermann - Cinematographer; Denis Seiglan - Set Designer; Jean-Bernard Thomasson - Sound/Sound Designer

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