Les Noces rouges = Blood wedding

This French thriller was banned at the time of its release ostensibly because it resembled a true murder case but pundits claimed it message operated too closely as a parable for the French elections being held at the time. Lucienne Delamare, the mayor of a small town in the Loire Valley discovers that his wife is having an affair with his deputy, and decides to blackmail the latter into going along with a crooked property deal. The scheme is to redevelop a high-rise dwelling and factory for workers, but Lucienne will be the principal beneficiary. ‘Les Noces Rouge’ is another variation on Chabrol’s pet theme of infidelity leading to murder and is as elegant and cool as one expects from a director secure in his subject. A darkly comic tale of revenge, greed and petty corruption.

Credits: Producer, Andre Genoves ; director, writer, Claude Chabrol ; photography, Jean Rabier ; music, Pierre Jansen ; editing, Jacques Gaillard, Monique Gaillard.
Cast: Michel Piccoli, Stephan Audran, Clotilde Joano, Eliana De Santis, Ermanno Casanova.