Search: Starring Francois Berleand

There’s a fairy-tale element to this – and once the famous names start to be introduced, including Sarah Bernhardt, it becomes obvious it’s no history lesson – but that suits the crowdpleasing material well.

Despite the predictability of the outcome and the extremely manipulative story, The Chorus is still hugely enjoyable.

A polished, satisfyingly involving whole that avoids any mainstream trappings and credits the audience with intelligence and maturity.

The film deftly avoids pretension by counterpointing all its creative talent with a sort of general rubbishness about people and places that's deeply endearing.

Watching the two women find common ground, and then wreak havoc upon it, is what makes this otherwise unremarkable film worthwhile.

Talk is everything, with action hinted at the edges, as Chabrol's camera sidles off to look at a casually thrown book, or skates away from anything salacious.

A tense exploration of relationships and human frailty, helped enormously by Beatrice Thiriet's wonderfully evocative score.

Deneuve has taken an enormous risk with this role, which has paid off a thousand fold.

The film's strength is its refusal to take its eye off Marie. No concessions are made.

Smart, witty, and with endearingly flawed characters, Stand Up, Girl hits the mark more often than not.

This is a crisp and well made thriller. It confidently moves the story with its universal themes of secrecy and the abuse of power to France, and grips all the way through.

You can almost smell the burning rubber - and, indeed, the testosterone.

The Transporter may be simple, but nothing feels mechanical.