Une Ruse

About this movie

At the heart of the story is Berthe Lelièvre, a woman yearning for love and attention from her cold, indifferent husband. Her emotional solitude and longing for affection drive her to an affair. However, passion takes a darkly comic turn when her lover suddenly dies in the midst of their tryst. Initially unaware of the gravity of the situation, Berthe is confronted with the shocking truth when the maid calls in Dr. Siméon, who confirms the man's death. Meanwhile, her husband is about to return home at any moment. In a desperate attempt to conceal the scandal, the doctor and the maid hurriedly dress the deceased, and upon the husband's arrival, the doctor introduces the lifeless man as his drunken friend. At first glance, this is a lighthearted farce, yet beneath its comedic surface lies a profound tragedy. Maupassant's signature irony-even cynicism-sheds light on deeper themes: female infidelity is often not just about passion but a response to emotional neglect and profound loneliness.

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