Chabrol's oblique, ironic, politically incorrect, or politically independent, or simply apolitical, account of one woman's roundabout liberation. (The "unpleasant" movie about an abortionist, to which one character prissily refers, could well be Chabrol's own Story of Women.) Adapted from a Simenon novel, and a definite improvement on it. Interesting effect (for mental dissociation) of present-tense dialogue laid on top of unrelated flashbacks. And a thoroughly immersed, unexhibitionistic performance by Marie (daughter of actor Jean-Louis and director Nadine) Trintignant. With Stephane Audran. (1994) — Duncan Shepherd
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