Film Review
On its release in 1985,
Poulet au
vinaigre was hailed by the critics as a return to form for its
director, Claude Chabrol. The man who is now reckoned to be
France's answer to Alfred Hitchcock had lost his way somewhat during
the previous decade and was considered by many to be past his
best. This film marked the beginning of one of Chabrol's most
successful collaborations, with producer Marin Karmitz. With
Karmitz's moral and financial support, Chabrol would soon regain his
popularity and his esteem, delivering some of his best work in what
would be the glorious twilight of his career.
Poulet au vinaigre is, in many
respects, classic Chabrol. We have the pretty provincial town
setting, an ensemble of creepy individuals who each has a dark secret,
some horrific deaths and the usual tongue-in-cheek assault on the
bourgeoisie. To this tantalising potion of eerie intrigue
and general all round nastiness,
Chabrol adds another choice ingredient, in the form of Inspector
Lavardin. Hence the quirky title:
cop served in vinegar.
Lavardin proves to be a law unto himself and is one of the most fascinating characters in Chabrol's oeuvre,
made all the more interesting by Jean Poiret's magnificent
interpretation of the role. At the time, French cinema generally
portrayed police inspectors either as impeccable crime investigators or
as hard men who abused their position for their own immoral gain.
Lavardin is quite different - he is neither a hero nor a villain, but a
truly amoral character who will use any means, however unlawful, in his
dogged search to get at the truth. Once the case is solved, he
then assumes the mantle of judge, deciding who should be punished and
who should go free. Lavardin sees himself as an avenging angel,
dispensing his own notion of justice, confident that no one will dare
challenge his authority and bring him to account. So successful
was the character that he would make a return visit in a subsequent
Claude Chabrol film - imaginatively titled
Inspector Lavardin (1986) - and
then in a short series of television films.
Poulet vinaigre may not be
Claude Chabrol's most inspired film, but fans of the director's
previous thrillers were glad to see him return to the genre for which
he is clearly best suited. The plot is typical
série noire trash, but
Chabrol makes it plausible and interesting by carefully weaving
together the multiple storylines and making good use of an effective
cast. Mathieu Chabrol's unsettling score imbues a sense of menace in
just about every frame, constantly hinting at the dangerous
undercurrents that lie just beneath the surface.
The performances are excellent - not just from the aforementioned Jean Poiret
but also Stéphane Audran and Lucas Belvaux. There is also a
healthy dose of Chabrol's dark humour
(which veers towards the distinctly macabre in some places), although
this is probably an acquired taste...
© James Travers 2008
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Next Claude Chabrol film:
Inspecteur Lavardin (1986)
Film Synopsis
In a small French town, three prominent men - the butcher Filiol,
lawyer Lavoisier and doctor Morasseau - have formed a property
development consortium. Their intention is to buy and demolish an
old house belonging to Madame Cuno, but she refuses to sell and so they
begin a campaign of intimidation and persuasion. Madame Cuno, an
invalid, lives alone with her son, Louis, who is the town's
postman. Fed up of being harassed by their neighbours, the Cunos
decide to go on the offensive, but things take a dramatic turn when one
of Louis's pranks results in Filiol's accidental death. Whilst
this is happening, two young women mysteriously disappear. One,
Morasseau's wife, is found burned beyond recognition in a crashed
car. Inspector Lavardin appears on the scene to investigate these
strange goings on and uncovers more than he bargained for...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.