Chabrol,although labeled "Nouvelle Vague" has never forgotten to tell a story.It has made him the heir of a long tradition of the psychological French thriller (Clouzot,Duvivier,Decoin).Even his earlier efforts ("Le Beau Serge" "A Double Tour" "Les Cousins" ) had painstaking well-constructed screenplays .But "Les Bonnes Femmes " gives way beneath the weaknesses of the Nouvelle Vague and succumbs to their vices:a vague story,ponderous jokes,mediocre performances (mainly the male ones)and a lot of padding.At a pinch,one can save Clotilde Joano's character and the terrible fate which lays in store for her.But the main reason why you would watch this non-Chabrolesque film is Stephane Audran's presence: she would be his star when he peaked in the 1968-1973 years.The films he made then were his very own and had nothing to do with the N.V. fortunately.
Review of The Good Time Girls
