Director: Claude Chabrol
Year Released: 1968
Rating: 2.5
Tolerable Chabrol - not quite the brilliant exercise he's been capable of producing, but still effective in pieces. Rich capitalist-woman seduces young street artist, invites her to live in opulence (without resorting to begging for cash or working) and acts as the mother in their lesbian relationship; eventually Jean-Louis Trintignant appears and the two exchange heated glances as to who loves him most. Interestingly enough, Trintignant picks the older woman, producing scorn in the street artist, who he deflowered heterosexually one night after playing (and winning) at cards. The younger protege (if she could be called that) gradually loses her grip on sanity in a silly way - Chabrol must think that young girls, after being seduced and discarded, grow obsessive - and the end seems too choppy to provide a fitting conclusion; in other words, it loses my sympathy before the bizarre love triangle comes to a resolve. I still can't figure out what the allure in Trintignant is - he's dry and quiet, and given nothing of interest to deliver - and it's obvious Chabrol never thinks twice about why these girls are so heated over him (a chair could have his role), he's far more concerned with the politics of their own twisted mother-daughter union. Les Biches is not really that much of a big deal, and not exactly "varied," but Stephane Audran's performance is worth noting.
