Merci pour le chocolat (2000)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Claude Chabrol

Writers:

Charlotte Armstrong (novel)
Claude Chabrol (writer)

Release Date:

25 October 2000 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Milka Muller es la directora general de Chocolates Muller, que vive en Suiza con su marido André Polonski...

Plot Keywords:

Piano | Chocolate | Piano Player | Musician | Pianist

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Isabelle Huppert	...	Marie-Claire 'Mika' Muller
Jacques Dutronc	...	André Polonski
Anna Mouglalis	...	Jeanne Pollet
Rodolphe Pauly	...	Guillaume Polonski
Brigitte Catillon	...	Louise Pollet
Michel Robin	...	Dufreigne
Mathieu Simonet	...	Axel
Lydia Andrei
Véronique Alain
Isolde Barth	...	Pauline
Jacqueline Burnand
François Germond
Antoinette Martin
Michel Moulin
Dorotea Brandin

Also Known As:

Nightcap (International: English title)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

France | Switzerland

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:13 | Canada:PG | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Spain:13 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Lausanne, Canton de Vaud, Switzerland

Company:

CAB Productions

Trivia:

At the time this movie was shot, the house was owned by David Bowie who was trying to sell it.

Movie Connections:

References Secret Beyond the Door... (1948)

Soundtrack:

Funerailles

A true Chabrol thriller drama - masterful encore

It's a thriller, suspenseful, yet not pushy in its pace. The plot progression edges on at its own natural tempo, with piano recitals punctuating the interludes while, yes, we worry about Mika Muller (Huppert's character) - whatever might she be up to in spite of her ever so charming and outwardly friendly disposition, or is she?

In a way, it's a (light) psychological murder drama, and we kinda know the seed of evil is with Huppert's character. The trailer and the advertising synopsis suggested that obvious clue. But somehow, it didn't decrease the level of suspense. Huppert again exercises her art of subtle acting - that nonchalant facial expression that hardly flinches or betrays her suppressed inner conflicting feelings behind the mask of well-groomed outfits and demeanor.

For the most part, we follow the interaction between the other characters (good supporting cast): Mika's husband André Polonski (Jacques Dutronc) the famous pianist, the sluggish step-son Guillaume (Rodolphe Pauly) whom Polonski wants to cherish but has not the time to understand the growing teenager - whose mother, Polonski's beloved wife Lisbeth, died in a car accident years ago, and Jeanne Pollet (Anna Mouglalis) the newly introduced excitement in Polonski's life - a protégée eager to win a piano competition, and Jeanne's widowed mother Dr. Pollet (Brigitte Catillon) who heads the crime lab. Jeanne is an intelligent young woman besides being a talented pianist with potential, and we led to believe her suspicion about Mika and her serving of hot chocolate nightcaps to the Polonski's.

Chabrol's writing and directing style never thrust obvious murderous threads in front of us. There are no actual blood or acts of violence we see. Everything seems so civil. Clues are suggestive through conversational exchange between the characters and outside of the frames. That's the masterful beauty of a Claude Chabrol piece - exquisitely presented and delightful to enjoy at ease.

The notion of serving up possibly 'poisoned' hot chocolate does remind one of Hitchcock's 1941 "Suspicion" with Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine, including a similar driving scene yet outcome reveals off camera cleverly through a conversation.

Lately, Huppert's taken on roles that are, perhaps, psychologically in need of TLC (tender loving care): here in "Merci pour le chocolat", in Haneke's "The Piano Teacher", and in Ozon's who dunnit musical "8 Women" - she actually gets to have the most changes of outfit (3) than the other 7 actresses, besides performing her number in 'talk through' style sitting down at the piano vs. dancing around singing the song. She's having fun in portraying such characters, no doubt.

If you enjoy foreign movies, a French thriller drama with subtitles by Ian Burley (who did the wonderful translated subtitles to the Italian film "Bread and Tulips"), "Merci pour le chocolat" is for you. Enjoy!