Clocking in at under an hour and a half, The Page Turner is a perfectly realized little thriller. Released this week by Tartan Films on DVD, I would recommend this film highly to fans of Alfred Hitchcock’s more intimate stories, as well as those filmgoers who admire the suspense films of French master Claude Chabrol.

This French film begins with the character of Melanie, a young girl, practicing for an important piano recital that will determine if she will be groomed for a professional career. At Melanie’s recital, one of the judges, Ariane, a popular pianist, causes Melanie to be distracted by allowing a fan to come in for an autograph. In tears, Melanie decides she will never play the piano again.

Approximately ten years later, Melanie finds herself working at the law office of the pianist’s husband. The opportunity to look after the son of the lawyer and the pianist allows Melanie to ingratiate herself with the family. Melanie allows Ariane to “discover” that Melanie can read music, allowing Melanie the opportunity to become Ariane’s page turner. In the guise of helping the family, Melanie gets her revenge for her childhood humiliation.

Melanie operates quietly, keeping her secrets to herself. Such is how Denis Dercourt’s film works, as the sum of observations, forcing the viewer to pay attention to the clues. In the title role, Deborah Francois was nominated for a Cesar Award, the French equivalent to the Oscar. She’s young, gorgeous, and in this film, a bit scary. Francois also has four future films in completion or production suggesting that she may be poised to take on the mantle from such older stars as Catherine Deneuve. The Page Turner is a little gem that may be one of the better films released this year.

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