The Unfaithful Wife

La Femme infidèle is Chabrol’s tale of infidelity, passion and violence – an unmissable Hitchcockian thriller set against a backdrop of bourgeois respectability in late 1960ies Versailles. When wealthy businessman, Charles Desvallées (Michel Bouquet), starts suspecting that his wife Hélène (Stéphane Audran) is having an affair, he decides to hire a private investigator to confirm his fears. However, in a bourgeois world governed by appearances and exacting rituals, emotions are to be contained at all costs or else… As Charles’ obsession with Hélène’s betrayal deepens, the film takes a dark and unexpected turn. Thanks to its impeccable pacing, forensic direction, and restrained, sublime performances from Audran and Bouquet, every single shot from La Femme infidèle contains psychological multitudes and a lesson in filmmaking.