The Woman Next Door

La Femme d’à côté

Truffaut’s cautionary tale about the unexpected encounter of former lovers now married.

  • Director

    François Truffaut

  • With

    Fanny Ardant, Gérard Depardieu, Henri Garcin, Michèle Baumgartner, Véronique Silver

  • France 1981. 106min

  • Digital

  • Certificate

    12A

  • English subtitles

At times reminiscent of the films of Claude Chabrol (another Hitchcock admirer), this finds the life of the happily married Bernard (Depardieu) thrown into turmoil when Mathilde (Ardant) – an old flame, now also happily married – moves into the house opposite his own. The film is both an insightful account of bourgeois mores and a dark study of psychological instability, as emotions spiral out of control.

Also available on BFI Player.