"La candide madame Duff" looks like a spoof on the psychological thriller, complete with set up and unexpected end a la Boileau-Narcejac ,although the screenplay ,written by the director is sometimes confused,muddled and disjointed .
The bourgeois couple who lives in a desirable château , complete with maid and a handsome chauffeur , will remind you of the sadly missed Claude chabrol,although Mocky is not to be mentioned in the same breath as him .
That is not to say Mocky's movie is worthless: humor is not lacking and the casting,with one exception ,is pure camp ,the right thing to do when you portray characters completely out of touch with reality .Best example: the cop ,played by the late pop singer Dick Rivers . Only the excellent Alexandra Stewart 's lesbian and would be rich aunt Lou takes her part seriously and is in direct contrast to her co-stars ,all off their rocker .
The wealthy owner of the manor wants to get rid of his naive bimbo-wife , using her soft spot for the handsome chauffeur ;his plan is to catch her in the act so that he can get a divorce ; but nothing works according to plan.
A farce masquering as thriller , with a deliciously immoral denouement.
