Merci pour le chocolat
- Jacques Dutronc: André Polonsky
- Anna Mouglalis: Jeanne Polet
- Rodolphe Pauly: Guillaume Polonsky
- Brigitte Catillon: Louise Pollet
- Michel Robin: Dufreigne
- Mathieu Simonet: Axel
- Isolde Barth: Pauline
Chabrol's sweet poison (English Alternative title: Sweet Poison ) is a film by French director Claude Chabrol in 2000 based on the novel " The Chocolate Cobweb " (1948 ) by Charlotte Armstrong. First, the film was shown at the Venice Film Festival in August 2000. In France, the premiere took place on 25 October 2000, in Germany, on 4 January 2001.
Action
After the death of their parents has Marie- Claire - called Mika - inherited their chocolate company and married for the second time the renowned pianist André Polonsky, who brought his son Guillaume with in the relationship. The young pianist Jeanne Pollet learns at the same time by a friend of her mother that she was born on the same day as Polonskis son in the same clinic and was held by the carelessness of a nurse briefly for Polonskis daughter. In the course of the film remains unclear whether there actually was a mix of infants. Jeanne's mother tells her that her late father was not her biological father, but that it was the result of artificial insemination. Jeanne studied André Polonsky at home. This takes pleasure to inform the young woman to play the piano. By chance, Jeanne discovers that Mika puts the nightly cocoa for stepson Guillaume with sleeping pills. Guillaume's mother died several years ago after a car accident by falling asleep at the wheel after drinking a coffee from Mika drink. Jeanne and Guillaume suspect, because it is always Rohypnol in your home without the André Polonsky can not sleep. One evening drive Jeanne and Guillaume by car to the pharmacy to get Rohypnol for Polonsky, after drinking a coffee prepared by Mika. André is clear that Mika has his deceased wife Elizabeth on her conscience, she confronts and is concerned about the young people. In fact, Jeanne builds from fatigue that night in a car accident, but the only causes damage to the bodywork.
In the final shot we see Mika's latest crochet handicraft: a spider web - against the threat to their family harmony?
Reviews
" Subtle, almost chamber -like game staged psychological thriller about little secrets that lead to big disasters because all try not to show what they think. Masterfully directed and acted, Claude Chabrol creates a social microcosm, film noir ' in color. "
"How many films of Claude Chabrol 's also this, his 52nd, staged as a stage play, the actors sit in an inescapable spiral. The course of action is not played through plan of him; it can appear at each turn of this spiral a doubt, hints can be flashed, irritated with apparent contradictions to the social reality in which the action takes place. Only at the very end one realizes that the logic of this reaction corresponds to the psychology of the protagonist Mika who is evil not in the trivial sense. You can not distinguish in their unconditional pursuit of happiness good and evil., Sweet Poison ' is in this unsettling sense unquestionably an ideal occupied cinematic masterpiece. "
Awards
- In 2000, " Chabrol's sweet poison ' named best film with a Louis Delluc price.
- That same year, Isabelle Huppert was honored as Best Actress at the World Film Festival in Montreal; the film was shown in competition at the " Grand Prix des Amériques ".
- Claude Chabrol in 2001 was nominated as Best Director for the Nastro d' Argento at Sindacato Nazionale Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani.