Boucher (Le)

English title: The Butcher
Genre: psychological drama
Director: Claude Chabrol
Release: 1969
Studio: Films La Boétie, Euro International Film
Rating: -
MBiS score: 8.0/10


A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed


Days after her arrival in the small French town of Trémolat, Hélène (Stéphane Audran) is invited to a wedding banquet where she bonds with Popaul (Jean Yanne), a down-to-earth butcher. Popaul’s friendship will soon prove comforting for the new teacher in town when reports of violence in a nearby forest spread fear throughout the commune. With Antonio Passalia (Angelo), Mario Beccaria (Léon Hamel), William Guerault (Charles) and Roger Rudel (Grumbach).

Like many other French films, LE BOUCHER is a truly startling work. In content, it combines a psychological drama with elements of suspense that were not even hinted at when Hélène’s story begins. In form, its low-key treatment of violent material is almost unsettling when you compare it with the blood-and-guts approach in Hollywood fare. As you will notice, director Claude Chabrol played down the more sensational aspects of the story-line and focused on the characters’ reaction to the violence unleashed in the commune. The end result is a sober and satisfying film that favours ideas over all-out mayhem.

Given this emphasis on psychology, character interplay is paramount in LE BOUCHER. After meeting in rather humorous circumstances (ah, those witty French people!), Hélène and Popaul will be attracted to each other in a very natural and logical way but, as often happens in real life, their relationship will not be picture-perfect. When they spend time together, you will feel a certain caution or ambivalence in both of them because they still ache from past experiences. I need not elaborate on the subject since the script provides sufficient answers and both leads deliver them with ample inspiration. As is usually the case with French films, you can also expect snappy dialogues, sustained tension and an unpredictable story-line from LE BOUCHER. You may take issue – as I did – with a couple of plot twists that seem rather weak and unconvincing but, overall, the movie’s effectiveness is not jeopardized by these minor blemishes.

Accordingly, I do think that LE BOUCHER is worth your time if you appreciate taut mysteries and crave for entertainment that disregards movie business formulas. There may be better films in movieland but this one is as distinctive as any.


MBiS

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