by Mark Murton
Original Title: Merci Pour le Chocolat
Directed by: Claude Chabrol
Synopsis: Based on the book The Chocolate Cobweb by Charlotte Armstrong. In Lausanne, aspiring pianist Jeanne Pollet (Anna Mouglalis) learns that she was almost switched at birth with the son of celebrated pianist Andre Polonski (Jacques Dutronc). Intrigued, she goes to his house to introduce herself and he offers to give her piano lessons to help with her forthcoming examination. The more time she spends with the family the more she senses that Andre’s glacially controlled wife Mika (Isabelle Hupert) is harbouring a dark secret.
Kitty Cameo: The cat scene in this understated mystery drama is itself a mystery as the cat only features once despite most of the action taking place in the same house, including other scenes in the same room. This single appearance comes when Andre’s son Guillaume (Rudolph Pauly) is in his bedroom watching TV, clearly high and smoking a cigarette. During this he is holding a tabby cat, or rather restraining it as the cat, tail continuously wagging, is clearly trying to get away. When Mika knocks on his door a short time later Guillaume is still on the bed and still smoking but the cat is nowhere to be seen and isn’t seen again.
Final Mewsings: Cats are understandably nervous around people who don’t tip their ashes.
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