For some reason, I absolutely fall for all of Chabrol's films where Huppert is the center of attention and this one is no exception. The film is based on an authentic case in France of the 30s which hit the headlines and caused a big scandal. Chabrol, of course, does not simply render the facts, but provides a subtly interlaced story which illuminates the milieu quite well. In fact, it is perhaps the most narrative complex structure I've seen from him and the ending, although hinted at throughout the film, has an unexpected twist. Huppert, as most of the time, is amazing as the cool, ho-hum, indifferent 18-year-old vamp searching for a suitable man at nightclubs and bars. It is, by all means, her best performance under Chabrol and of the very best of her career. However you might think of her actions, Violette is a dreamer foremost, more like Madame Bovary than Marie from "Une affaire de femmes". She dreams of finding the right man, her first real love who will take her to the sea. Unfortunately, she falls for the wrong one.
Review of Violette
