Les Biches

Whilst out walking in the cold streets of Paris, the wealthy and chic Frederique picks up a seemingly naïve street artist and takes her home. Frederique and the enigmatically named Why embark on an intense love affair, but it's not long before their fragile happiness is shattered with the arrival of a handsome architect, keen to ingratiate himself into their relationship.

As the two characters grow increasingly similar in appearance and temperament, Chabrol's playful character study in many ways pre-empts the notorious tale of lesbian desire gone awry, Single White Female, with its glimpse into an obsessive relationship with narcissistic overtones. But unlike the campy histrionics of the 1990s thriller, Chabrol plays the whole thing with an air of dark humour and cool detachment, enabling the film to repeatedly catch the viewer off guard with its ever twisting narrative.

Michael Blyth