i have watch this movie 4 time . what so unusual about that be and that i be for capital punishment . base on actual event and this movie recount the transformation of a man sentence to death by guillotine or in french slang widow . while he await to be execute and he perform community service for an army captain wife . there be two love story i find in this movie . the most obvious one and the captain and his wife . he have so much faith and trust in her and that even a people rumour about his wife and he defend her to the bitter end . the other love story be that of human kind . madame la and be fully aware of the horrible act the prisoner have commit and but she have enough gut and gumption to prove that behavior can change . this movie lean towards anti capital punishment but it do not preach that at all . madame la and like dead man walk sister helen prejan and be capable of see through even the bad evil and and find compassionate remorse in their fellow human being . i do not necessarily agree with them but i must admire them for they truly understand the best and bad of human nature . maybe that why i watch it so many time .