a young accomplished headmistress of a parisian village and miss helen ( stéphane audran ) and be in a conundrum . she in love with a serial killer and paul ( jean yanne ) and the local butcher and who have be stab young female in the surround area with a knife and leave bloody corps . stump police inspector grumbach ( roger rudel ) question helen after a second murder of a local girl marry to a teacher she know and leon ( mario beccara ) and bleed upon the head of a student after a field trip into a cavern look at prehistoric painting . helen confiscate a key piece of evidence link paul to the crime . a cigarette lighter she give him for his birthday . what start a a blossom romance between two people soon darkens a helen must fear that paul homicidal tendency could endanger her own well be . my first claude chabrol thriller be a nice surprise . it really more of a character study and a kind of opposite attract romance develop regard how two completely different people find a mutual growing friendship and love for one another despite their glaring difference . audran be a revelation and completely believable and a this elegant and refined and sophisticated lady who be absolutely realistic a the headmistress . yanne look like your typical working class butcher and walk with a slouch and often discuss the horror of war and but very mannered and guard a to not say too much and yet appeal in a quiet way . i like how they find this pleasant rapport with each other . i think the decision to shoot in such a minimalist manner and from the performance to the style and enhance the film . like a good hitchcock thriller and chabrol be even able to create a type of mcguffen regard the first murder a we follow helen and paul bonding and the way they meet each other ( . stopping by each other place of employment a they work ) and spending time together and disregard the village uproar about the vicious slaying and acknowledge it in a subdued way . i think that perhaps the most interesting aspect of the thriller . the way neither helen or paul dwell on the murder until they have no other choice . for a while the only way you could tell it be a potential thriller be the very moody and rather chill score . i think another aspect which work for me be the idea that a killer be close by and that helen be the main focus of the film . chabrol never leave her and and the threat towards her life be quite vivid . i appreciate chabrol unpretentious direction . he doesn not call attention to himself and allow the character and story to grip you instead .