Violette Nozière is about a famous murderess in France, who lived from 1915 to 1966. The subject fits Chabrol, whose films are often about murder, like a glove. I saw the film on television in a series about Chabrol, together with "Que la bête meure" (1969). It is good preperation for a retrospective about Isabelle Huppert in my local moviehouse next month, where I intend to see "La dentellière" (1977, Claude Goretta).
One can say that the film is about the (end of the) roaring twenties. Just like Sally Bowles in "Cabaret" (1972, Bob Fosse) Violette is dancing on the edge of the volcano just before the rise of Nazism. Unlike "Cabaret" "Violette Nozière" is not explicitely political.
One can say that the film is about a creepy and violent child (in this event a daughter) just like in "We need to talk about Kevin" (2011, Lynne Ramsay).
For me the film is in the first place about the (excessive) sexual fascination of a female adolescent. Just like Severine in "Belle de jour" (1967, Luis Bunuel) Violette is an amateur prostitute. Unlike Severine she doesn't do this because she is bored but because she needs the thrill.
After the murder Violette defends herself with the allegation that the victim had sexually abused her. Some reviews raise the question if there is a grain of thruth in this accusation. In my opinion the talent for telling lies that Violette has shown in earlier parts of the film forms a convincing answer to this question.
One can say that the film is about the (end of the) roaring twenties. Just like Sally Bowles in "Cabaret" (1972, Bob Fosse) Violette is dancing on the edge of the volcano just before the rise of Nazism. Unlike "Cabaret" "Violette Nozière" is not explicitely political.
One can say that the film is about a creepy and violent child (in this event a daughter) just like in "We need to talk about Kevin" (2011, Lynne Ramsay).
For me the film is in the first place about the (excessive) sexual fascination of a female adolescent. Just like Severine in "Belle de jour" (1967, Luis Bunuel) Violette is an amateur prostitute. Unlike Severine she doesn't do this because she is bored but because she needs the thrill.
After the murder Violette defends herself with the allegation that the victim had sexually abused her. Some reviews raise the question if there is a grain of thruth in this accusation. In my opinion the talent for telling lies that Violette has shown in earlier parts of the film forms a convincing answer to this question.