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Summary
A wealthy actress, Madame Lelievre, hires a young woman, Sophie, to work in her
house as a maid for her family. Whilst the new maid appears to excel in her job,
the actress's husband and her children sense there is something very wrong with Sophie.
Their unease grows when Sophie strikes up a friendship with the local post-mistress, whom
Monsieur Lelievre suspects of opening his personal mail. The situation worsens when
Sophie's disability is revealed and the Lelievre's finally lose patience with her.
The scene is set for a truly horrific dénouement...
Review
This is a chilling thriller-drama from one of France's most acclaimed directors, and stars
three very talented actresses. Based on a Ruth Rendell novel, A judgement in
stone, the mood is very much of a Stephen King thriller, and the "Grand Guignolesque"
conclusion is in no way a disappointment.
The most haunting scenes are those where Sophie desperately struggles against her reading disability. By contrast, the scenes where she is playing around with the post-mistress are almost light-hearted, albeit tinged with black humour. Isabelle Huppert and Sandrine Bonnaire are superbly cast in their respective roles as the anarchist post-mistress and the spooky Sophie. Claude Chabrol's direction is up to the usual high standard. He manages to play off comic situations and the gentler, tender moments against the drama with great ease and accomplishment. All of the characters, even the children (one of whom is played by rising star Virgine Ledoyen), appear well-rounded and sympathetic.
Overall, an exceptionally well-made thriller
with some great performances and a climax you will not forget in a hurry...
© James Travers 1999
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