Claude Chabrol's "Le Boucher" is a quiet, subtle and utterly absorbing psychological thriller about a couple who, at first glance, seem to be conventional, respectable and very well adjusted. It gradually becomes clear, however, that they're both emotionally and psychologically damaged in different ways and their friendship triggers unexpected impulses that eventually bring both trauma and tragedy to their peaceful village. The village is called Tremolat and is situated in the Pericord region of France.
Helene (Stephane Audran), the headmistress of the village school and Popaul (Jean Yanne) the local butcher, meet at a wedding party and enjoy each other's company. As their friendship develops it emerges that Helene is dedicated to her work, well-liked by her pupils and highly respected by the people of Tremolat. Popaul has recently returned to the village after spending 15 years in the Army and has inherited the butcher shop following his father's death.
Popaul seems gentle and friendly and gives Helene specially selected joints of lamb from his shop and is pleased to help with any work that needs doing in the school building. As a child he'd been abused by his father and during his Army career had seen countless horrific incidents. He tells Helene that he saw many terrible things that are too awful to describe and it's obvious just how profoundly his experiences have affected him.
Popaul is desperate for his friendship with Helene to develop into a romance but when he discusses this with her, she tells him that following a relationship that she had 10 years before, she was left so hurt that she couldn't ever consider getting involved with anyone else in that way again. Popaul accepts the situation and they continue their friendship which remains purely platonic.
During this period, the normal tranquillity of Tremolat is shattered when a young woman is murdered and her body is found at a location close to the village. Helene has the misfortune to discover a second body during a school trip with her pupils and is shocked to discover a cigarette lighter close by which is identical to one that she'd given to Popaul as a present. She, without hesitation, keeps the lighter and later goes through periods during which other developments lead her to believe initially in his guilt, then later in his innocence and finally in his guilt again before their story reaches its tragic denouement.
The traumatic things that happened to Helene and Popaul in their pasts and the ways in which they responded to them were clearly beyond their control. Similarly, at the outset, it would have been impossible for either of them to predict how their relationship might ultimately become responsible for inflaming certain impulses that led to a series of violent deaths in their community. They are unquestionably victims whose actions led to dreadful results and caused them tremendous despair.
Stephane Audran is wonderfully enigmatic as the beautiful, cool and seemingly very composed teacher who always appears to be the stronger partner in the relationship and Jean Yanne is also excellent as her very devoted but troubled friend.
"Le Boucher" is unsettling, thought provoking and rich in atmosphere but also unusual in the way that it combines, so effectively, a very simple plot with so much depth, poignancy and sensitivity This is a work of considerable substance that is totally captivating and a great credit to its writer and director, Claude Chabrol.
Helene (Stephane Audran), the headmistress of the village school and Popaul (Jean Yanne) the local butcher, meet at a wedding party and enjoy each other's company. As their friendship develops it emerges that Helene is dedicated to her work, well-liked by her pupils and highly respected by the people of Tremolat. Popaul has recently returned to the village after spending 15 years in the Army and has inherited the butcher shop following his father's death.
Popaul seems gentle and friendly and gives Helene specially selected joints of lamb from his shop and is pleased to help with any work that needs doing in the school building. As a child he'd been abused by his father and during his Army career had seen countless horrific incidents. He tells Helene that he saw many terrible things that are too awful to describe and it's obvious just how profoundly his experiences have affected him.
Popaul is desperate for his friendship with Helene to develop into a romance but when he discusses this with her, she tells him that following a relationship that she had 10 years before, she was left so hurt that she couldn't ever consider getting involved with anyone else in that way again. Popaul accepts the situation and they continue their friendship which remains purely platonic.
During this period, the normal tranquillity of Tremolat is shattered when a young woman is murdered and her body is found at a location close to the village. Helene has the misfortune to discover a second body during a school trip with her pupils and is shocked to discover a cigarette lighter close by which is identical to one that she'd given to Popaul as a present. She, without hesitation, keeps the lighter and later goes through periods during which other developments lead her to believe initially in his guilt, then later in his innocence and finally in his guilt again before their story reaches its tragic denouement.
The traumatic things that happened to Helene and Popaul in their pasts and the ways in which they responded to them were clearly beyond their control. Similarly, at the outset, it would have been impossible for either of them to predict how their relationship might ultimately become responsible for inflaming certain impulses that led to a series of violent deaths in their community. They are unquestionably victims whose actions led to dreadful results and caused them tremendous despair.
Stephane Audran is wonderfully enigmatic as the beautiful, cool and seemingly very composed teacher who always appears to be the stronger partner in the relationship and Jean Yanne is also excellent as her very devoted but troubled friend.
"Le Boucher" is unsettling, thought provoking and rich in atmosphere but also unusual in the way that it combines, so effectively, a very simple plot with so much depth, poignancy and sensitivity This is a work of considerable substance that is totally captivating and a great credit to its writer and director, Claude Chabrol.