FOLLE A TUER (MAD ENOUGH TO KILL, THE EVIL TRAP)

France, 1975, 93 minutes, Colour.
Marlene Jobert, Tomas Milian, Thomas Waintrop, Victor Lanoux.
Directed by Yves Boisset.

Folle a Tuer is an exciting French thriller. It was directed by Yves Boisset, a writer of many French thrillers as well as a director over several decades. Films include Judge Fayard, The Sheriff.

The film focuses on an unstable young woman who is hired to look after a child. Marlene Jobert is the governess. Thomas Waintrop the young boy. Tomas Milian plays a sinister presence, a portrait of evil, responsible for the abducting of the boy and his governess.

Appearances are deceptive – and the puzzle has quite a number of complex pieces. Entertaining French thriller.

1. The significance and tone of the title, audience expectations? How satisfactory a thriller? How interesting and enjoyable?

2. How particularly French was the thriller in theme, style, atmosphere, details and sensibility? How differently would the plot have been had the film not been French?

3. The importance of the classical musical score and its use for atmosphere, suspense, climaxes? Colour, French locations, a wealthy world?

4. How interesting was the mystery, how effective? Could the audience guess the solution quickly? Were sufficient clues given? How was audience interest created and retained?

5. The film's focusing on the girl, her background, the irony of her choice? Her personality, her breakdown, her coping? Audiences being involved with her? Her experience of her work, with the boy? Her experience of suffering, the details of the ordeal and her coping?

6. The focus on the boy and his being a victim? The bonds between himself and the girl? The reasons for the boy's being victimised?

7. The character portrayal of the uncle, how soon did the audience guess that he was evil? His presence in the deaths of his family, his masterminding of the evil trap? his callousness in victimising the girl and the boy? His inability to cope at the end?

8. The personalities and utter cruelty of the kidnappers? Their murders, pursuit, relentlessness, the inevitability of their deaths?

9. Comment on the special effects, the driving, the Incidents with the girl and the little boy? The deaths?

10. A thriller of the modern world and a reflection of the values of wealth, society? Themes of betrayal and cruelty? Heroism?