Merci pour le chocolat (2000)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Claude Chabrol

Writers:

Charlotte Armstrong (novel)
Claude Chabrol (writer)

Release Date:

25 October 2000 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Milka Muller es la directora general de Chocolates Muller, que vive en Suiza con su marido André Polonski...

Plot Keywords:

Piano | Chocolate | Piano Player | Musician | Pianist

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Isabelle Huppert	...	Marie-Claire 'Mika' Muller
Jacques Dutronc	...	André Polonski
Anna Mouglalis	...	Jeanne Pollet
Rodolphe Pauly	...	Guillaume Polonski
Brigitte Catillon	...	Louise Pollet
Michel Robin	...	Dufreigne
Mathieu Simonet	...	Axel
Lydia Andrei
Véronique Alain
Isolde Barth	...	Pauline
Jacqueline Burnand
François Germond
Antoinette Martin
Michel Moulin
Dorotea Brandin

Also Known As:

Nightcap (International: English title)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

France | Switzerland

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:PG | Argentina:13 | Canada:PG | Finland:S | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Spain:13 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Lausanne, Canton de Vaud, Switzerland

Company:

CAB Productions

Trivia:

At the time this movie was shot, the house was owned by David Bowie who was trying to sell it.

Movie Connections:

References La nuit du carrefour (1932)

Soundtrack:

Funerailles

Like a soap opera laced with poison

Sometimes a comedic story idea could make for an emotionally engrossing thriller instead. Such is the case with MERCI POUR LE CHOCOLAT. Chabrol turns what would be a situation comedy plot into a compelling thriller about failed relationships. A respected pianist Andre Polonski (Jacques Dutronc) figures that a maternity ward mishap caused him and his wife, Marie (Isabelle Hubbert) a chocolate manufacturer, to raise the wrong child.

Their college age `son', Guillaume, actually belongs to somebody else. Andre's real child seems to be Jeanne, (Anna Maoglalis) a lovely piano student. Jeanne and her boyfriend, a medical lab intern, are trying to figure out what poison will do some undetected dirty work (Chabrol originally studied to be a pharmacist) Chabrol started his career in the 1950's co-authoring well respected essays on Alfred Hitchcock with fellow countryman and future director Eric Rohmer. Unlike DePalma with his very obvious `Hey, hey look, what Hitchcock film is my scene copied from?' Chabrol wisely keeps his Hitchcock copying to a minimum with subtle Hitchcock styled camera movement. Instead of celebrating `technical innovation', Chabrol uses his camera to keep us gazing at the film's characters.