Paul and Marie Guéret, a young married couple, move to Lorges, a
village in central France. Here, Paul has been hired to give
private lessons to André Grosgeorges, the son of a wealthy
landowner. Oblivious to the fact that Eva Grosgeorges is
succumbing to his charms, Paul finds himself drawn to Angèle, a
young laundry worker who is used by her aunt, Madame Londe, to attract
clients to her restaurant. When Paul finally secures a moment of
intimacy with Angèle he learns that she is his employer's
mistress. Overcome by passion, Paul tries to buy favours from
Angèle with money stolen from his wife. But when she puts
up a show of resistance, Paul assaults her in a manic rage, before
running away, leaving her for dead...
In the 1940s, the shadowy, skewed visual style of 1920s German expressionism was taken up by directors of American thrillers and psychological dramas, creating that distinctive film noir look.
The cinema of Japan is noteworthy for its purity, subtlety and visual impact. The films of Ozu, Mizoguchi and Kurosawa are sublime masterpieces of film poetry.