A STRANGE AFFAIR

France, 1981, 105 minutes, Colour.
Michel Piccoli, Gerard Lanvin, Nathalie Baye.
Directed by Pierre Granier Deferre.

A Strange Affair is an intriguing psychological thriller, well-acted and directed - by Pierre Granier Deferre, a director of quality thrillers including the Romy Schneider film A Woman at Her Window. Acting is particularly good with Michel Piccoli winning a Best Actor award at Berlin, 1982, for the central role.

The film focuses on the world of business: the ordinary young man with ambitions but virtually nothing to do who is caught by an older man who begins to manipulate him at work, at home, gradually taking over his whole life and then dropping him. The film is in many ways an alarming probing by drama of manipulation and surrender of identity within the context of contemporary business.

1. Interesting and entertaining drama? The irony - and the title? Comic touches? Melodrama and satire? The complexity of audience response?

2. The French atmosphere: the city, business, domestic sequences, the differences of the generations? The presentation of the office, business, success, power? Questions of identity, career and achievement? The offbeat Gallic touch? The irony of characterisation and situation, the reality being somewhat less than clear? The fascination of the enigmatic?

3. Paris and the atmosphere of authenticity and realism? The sketch of the characters, behaviour, reality to unreality? The screenplay's including Nina's realistic balance? Realism, contrivance? The characters and their situation as a microcosm of today's business world? The musical score?

4. The focus on Louis: the ordinary young man, his position, not working, the build-up to a crisis, friends and cards, the funeral and his worry? His love for Nina? The encounter with Malair? Puzzle? His becoming busy, being relied on, success and his response to success? Prospects better? His partner and others? Afore responsibility, more work, feeling affirmed? The balance
with Nina? His being O.K. yet reverent with Malair? Meeting him, defending him? The reaction to Malair's moving in, taking over? Staying away? His excuses? His losing his wife, the house? Grandmother, mother, Bertrand? The murder image? What was left - that Malair might come? Needs, drives, manipulation, psychological games?

5. Nina as an ordinary character? life, love? Work, support? Common sense? Her meeting and disliking Malair, telling him off? Leaving, coming back? The funeral? An anchor in Louis' life? Her grief at not being loved?

6. Bertrand Malair as an enigmatic but fascinating character? Michel Piccoli's presence and performance? The air of mystery? His unknown origins, arrival, nervousness, smoking, what to say and what to do, the encounter with the boss, his skill, ambitions and push? Enjoying his power? Paul and Francois? Work, support? Paul critical, Francois subservient? His needs and Louis' response? His insight into Louis? The beginning of his games, playing with people, egomania? The week, orders, the boss? Gossip? Presumptions? His exercise of power - asexual though hints of homosexuality? His disappearance? The fact that people would be tempted to kill him?

7. Paul and Francois: men, boys? Francois and the lackey, games?

8. The mother and the story, the grandmother?

9. The contribution of Doutre and the others?

10. The background of employment, meetings, waiting, work, farewells? The nude show sequence? The work world?

11. The portrayal of this office as a microcosm and symbol of the contemporary world and power games?

12. The contemporary ailments of society? or perennial questions in a contemporary mode?