Madame Bovary

All the extras in Madame Bovary are in French. There are no subtitles available for this section of the DVD.

The black-and-white extract of Jean Renoir's film could easily have been left out. It contributes nothing.

However, the commentary on five scenes by the director, Claude Chabrol, is excellent. He explains why he shot these scenes the way he did. Of particular interest are those at the ball and Rodolphe's seduction of Emma at the market, next to the fleur-de-lis on the wallpaper (signifying the aristocracy, to which Emma aspires to belong). The long, drawn-out, false sincerity of the nobleman is interspersed with bestial noises from the animals outside, particularly the pig, showing ironically, the true nature of the aristocrat. Chabrol explains that Flaubert loathed romanticism and enjoyed lampooning it whenever he could, which is why Huppert, perhaps, hams the acting throughout but the result is an exercise in teeth grinding and the irony is lost entirely.

Chabrol explains his use of colour in the Return To Rodolphe scene, which takes place in his house. Emma has come to beg for money - a real need as against a romantic illusion. Rodolphe sits against a blue background and the wall behind Emma is scarlet. The camera flicks between the roue, who still toys with his lover, and the desperate woman, who faces ruin, and the effect is brilliant.

Also included are chapter selection and details of cast and crew.

NOTE: Madame Bovary is one of eight titles available to own in a Claude Chabrol Collection box set from Arrow Films, cerificate 15, catalogue number FCD272, price £44.99