We start off with a puppet show introducing the characters and the film's themes - it's a great opening. We then follow the film's patsy, the mild-mannered bank clerk Michel Simon (Legrand). He is married to the ghastly Magdeleine Bérubet (Adele) who keeps drumming home how much more of a man her previous (dead) husband was. I actually thought that she was "la chienne" to begin with. There is an amusing twist to her tales regarding the first husband.
Well, the real "la chienne" is played by Janie Marèse (Lulu) who lures Simon into a relationship so that he can provide for her, and she, in turn, can provide for her nasty pimp boyfriend Georges Flamant (Dede). Poor Simon hasn't a clue what is happening and how he is being used until the moment arises when he does! The story then throws us a murder. The film has a humour that comes into its element at the end where comedy and tragedy combine harmoniously.
The relationship between the pimp and the tart is so unconvincing that I'm afraid the film loses marks for this. Set against this, it is funny how men can bond over the dislike of a particular woman - some good moments in here regarding that.
Well, the real "la chienne" is played by Janie Marèse (Lulu) who lures Simon into a relationship so that he can provide for her, and she, in turn, can provide for her nasty pimp boyfriend Georges Flamant (Dede). Poor Simon hasn't a clue what is happening and how he is being used until the moment arises when he does! The story then throws us a murder. The film has a humour that comes into its element at the end where comedy and tragedy combine harmoniously.
The relationship between the pimp and the tart is so unconvincing that I'm afraid the film loses marks for this. Set against this, it is funny how men can bond over the dislike of a particular woman - some good moments in here regarding that.