Maitresse

As is so often the case with films censored in the Seventies and eventually released uncut, one wonders what all the fuss was about.

Maîtresse is the story of a dominatrix prostitute (Bulle Ogier), her boyfriend (Gérard Depardieu) and how her job affects their relationship. Many of the scenes are fairly explicit, but as the film sets out to observe, rather than make judgements, nothing feels shocking, salacious, pornographic or disturbing.

Barbet Schroeder's direction and the acting of Ogier and Depardieu are of such high quality that they allow the story to be told in the intended manner.

Some might find this style of story-telling hollow, perhaps even uninteresting, but I certainly didn't. Maîtresse is magnificent.