Probably more people have seen Unfaithful than the French original La Femme Infidele. The older film was written and directed by Claude Chabrol in 1969. The prolific Chabrol, a member of the French New Wave, has been making films since 1958 and is still going strong with a new film in the works. Chabrol made a name for himself by co-writing the first serious study of the films of Alfred Hitchcock. A superficial look at Chabrol’s films often compares him to his idol.

Unliike Hitchcock, Chabrol’s films usually have much more domestic settings and can be looked at as examinations of family’s coming apart. While based on a book by Ruth Rendell, The Bridesmaid, made in 2004, has many of the same concerns that can be found in earlier Chabrol films. Like Hitchcock’s films, murder is integral to the story. The basic plot may remind many of Strangers on a Train.

The bridesmaid, a young woman named Senta, is madly in love with the bride’s brother, Philippe. She tries to convince Philippe that in order to prove that their love is true, and that they are capable of living fully, they must do four things - plant a tree, write a poem, make love to someone of the same sex, and murder someone. Without giving the story away, I’ll only say that nothing is planted, there’s no poetry, and the only sex is between Senta and Philippe.

There is a text interview with the DVD where Chabrol’s Hitchcockian influences are discussed, specifically in regards to Psycho. There are no shrieking violins or scenes of mayhem in Chabrol’s film. Chabrol has developed his own style over the years, perhaps seen best in Merci pour le chocolat. I would recommend The Bridesmaid to those who understands that when it comes to Alfred Hitchcock, there is a difference between being inspiration and imitation.

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