if the director wasn not claude chabrol and i be not sure this picture would have be release . it a mystery story with a rather common theme . ordinary man meet strange girl with secret and his value tend to change in dangerous way and because of the passion . but the acting alienate the viewer . the dialog and the facial expression do not mix together and you can not take the theme seriously . that a problem in many french movie and not at least those of chabrol . maybe it because one be too use to american actor manner and but i be not sure that really the problem here . passion can be boring and this be unfortunately an example .