LA RUPTURE

France/Italy/Belgium, 1970, 125 minutes, Colour.
Jean- Pierre Cassel, Stephane Audran, Annie Cordy, Michel Bouquet, Michel Duchaussoy.
Directed by Claude Chabrol.

La Rupture (The Break) is one of several thrillers written and directed by noted French director Claude Chabrol. After a successful career in the 60s as one of the new wave of French directors, he moved to a series of intense thrillers about murder and guilt and identification with guilt and responsibility. Most of them featured his wife Stephane Audran. They include such films as The Unfaithful Wife, Just Before Nightfall and Blood Wedding. Usually they are slowly paced and meticulous in their structure. This film is rather more violent and swiftly paced than the others. Once again Stephane Audran gives an excellent performance - as an innocent victim. Michel Bouquet gives as excellent performance also as a menacing and arrogantly powerful businessman. Jean- Pierre Cassel has the unenviable role as the betrayer. A good actor and comedian, he is not as forceful in this role as perhaps is needed. The film has a Belgian setting and reflects the styles and preoccupations of the late 60s, especially in the use of drugs. While La Rupture is interesting in itself, it is best seen in connection with Chabrol's other thrillers of this period.

1. The impact of the film as thriller, human drama? Its place in the work of Claude Chabrol?

2. The significance of the title, its tone, its references to the characters, to marriage? To the ability to cope, to break down?

3. The Belgian setting and the French touch? The urban setting and its atmosphere, streets, houses, airports etc.? Colour photography, the score? The importance of special effects especially with the drug and hallucination background?

4. The dramatic impact of the opening and its speed and establishing of a mood? The thews of the film? Charles and his drug-taking, breakdown, brutality? Helene and her love for her husband, for her child? The child and the violence received and the dangers for its life? Clash, the help of the neighbours. the rush towards the hospital and the speeding vehicle during the credits? How well did the film continue with these themes and pacing?

5. How attractive a character was Helene? Her relationship with her husband, love for her child, seeing her trying to cope in the hospital? The doctor and his kindness? Her establishing herself in the boarding house and relating to the people there? The menace of her father-in-law and his taunts about her past, about her relationship with her husband, his trying to break the marriage? Her response to such pressures and being torn between the divorce, her love for her husband. her worry about her child? Her response to Paul Thomas and her becoming the victim? Her defiance and coping with all difficulties? Her integrity? How convincing a character?

6. The clash of Helene with her father-in-law - a man versus a woman, the differing backgrounds, class, wealth, integrity, means, dishonesty? The dramatics of the film in this clash?

7. The portrait of Monsieur Regnier - his appearance. manner and walk? His arrogance? Seeing him at home, his relationship with his wife, his control of his son and refusal to admit the truth? His concern for his grandchild and Helene's refusal to move him from the hospital? His employment of Paul Thomas, his complicity in the plotting? The final clash with Helene and her confrontation of him in the house? His finally being defeated? A picture of arrogant power and presumption? The contrast with the portrait of his wife. her supporting her husband, the guests in the house during Helene's intrusion. her overhearing the love between husband and wife and her final compassion?

8. The picture of the boarding house and its style? Monsieur and madam Pinelli? The wife and her puritanical outlook and her running of the household? The husband and his drinking, irresponsibility? His being duped by Paul Thomas? Madame Pinelli being duped by the promise of new residence? Elise and her presence in the house, retarded? Her bond with Helene? Her being abused by Paul Thomas and his girlfriend? Her part in the plot against Helene? The actor and his dramatics, the doctor and his kindness and busyness, the three old women and their playing cards, comments, considered as the three Fates? A portrait of Belgian society in the microcosm of the boarding house?

9. Helene and her ability to cope, her tiredness, her charm with people, her integrity despite the criticism and the rumours? Her friendship with Paul Thomas and his seeming kindness? Her gradual realisation of the plot? Her reaction, the defiance, the experience at the airport, visiting her father-in-law's home and confronting him, her bond with her husband? The significance of her being drugged, pushing herself to remain calm for the custody situation, the encounter with the man with the balloons? Her winning in the end?

10. The portrait of Paul Thomas and his being an exploiter, his motivation, charming manner, ingratiating himself in the house, his lies to Helene? His arrogant assumptions that he would win? His work with Monsieur Regnier? Spying, spreading the rumours, the viciousness of the sexual innuendo, his own relationships with Sonia and their sensuality? Involving her in the plan and her callousness? The abuse of Elise with the pornographic films and the sexual encounter? His breaking down when the plan went awry, the confrontation with Charles and killing him, withdrawing? How convincing an evil character?

11. Sonia and her complicity, seeing her generally nude, her sensuality, irresponsibility, her enjoying the phone call in tricking Helene, her participation in the abuse of Elise?

12. Elise and her being abused, yet her not being tricked by
the false identity of Helene?

13. The build-up to the airport sequence, Helene and her coping with the situation?

14. Charles and Helene and their encounter, the love between them, the truth and Charles' wanting to go to the court, his death?

15. The drug sequences and hallucinations? How well portrayed, the impact at this stage of the film?

16. Themes of violence, abuse? Human beings being victimised?

17. Themes of interrelationships, power, love? Husband and wife and mutual support? Care for children of precarious marriages? Integrity?