Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Emmanuelle Béart | ... | Nelly | |
François Cluzet | ... | Paul Prieur | |
![]() |
Nathalie Cardone | ... | Marylin |
André Wilms | ... | Doctor Arnoux | |
Marc Lavoine | ... | Martineau | |
![]() |
Christiane Minazzoli | ... | Mme Vernon |
Dora Doll | ... | Mme Chabert | |
Mario David | ... | Duhamel | |
Jean-Pierre Cassel | ... | M. Vernon | |
![]() |
Sophie Artur | ... | Clotilde |
Thomas Chabrol | ... | Julien | |
![]() |
Noël Simsolo | ... | M. Chabert |
![]() |
Yves Verhoeven | ... | Young Boy |
![]() |
Amaya Antolin | ... | Mariette |
![]() |
Jean-Claude Barbier | ... | M. Pinoiseau |
Paul, an irritable and stressed-out hotel manager, begins to gradually develop paranoid delusions about his wife's infidelity. As he succumbs to green-eyed jealousy, his life starts to crumble. Each step on his downward spiral to madness seems to accelerate, driving him further along the path to a personal hell. Finally, the former shell of his personality cracks completely, with tragic consequences. Written by Tad Dibbern <DIBBERN_D@a1.mscf.upenn.edu>
I still think of L'Enfer as a great film, rife with psychological torment and anguish. It may not be Chabrol's best (as others have pointed out), but it is nonetheless very good. This is in my opinion also one of Beart's best performances. The cinematography is terrific, with wonderful contrasts between the idyllic, sun-drenched locale and the dark, tormented and claustrophobic emotional dimension. The plot is somewhat predictable, but the "meat" of the movie is on the psychological development of the main characters, not on "what happens next". Overall, I highly recommend this film to any fan of cinema.