Bellamy

Chabrol’s first film with Depardieu (really!) is typically sly, making intriguing use of doubles, echoes, symmetries and polarities as it charts the off-duty investigation carried out by vacationing Inspecteur Bellamy (Gérard lui-même) into a strange case involving a maybe-crazy confessor-in-hiding (Gamblin) and a young temptress (Giocante). Meanwhile, the cop’s brother turns up, arousing tensions between detective and wife (Bunel). Witty, psychologically astute, tender, at times downright odd, it’s an enjoyable, accessibly idiosyncratic foray into the worlds of two Georges (Simenon and Brassens).