In Maitresse, a petty criminal, Olivier (Gerard Depardieu), and his accomplice break into and attempt to rob a flat. The flat is, in fact, an S&M dungeon, and Olivier and friend are apprehended by the mistress, Ariane (Bulle Ogier), and her vicious-looking Doberman pinscher. Olivier and Ariane are immediately intrigued by one another and embark on a love affair. As the story progresses, Olivier comes to terms with Ariane's profession, and she occasionally incorporates him into her work. But Olivier cannot abide that there is a mysterious other man in Ariane's life called Gautier, whom Ariane refuses to discuss. Olivier resolves to find Gautier and confront him, with disastrous consequences.
Maitresse was controversial in its day; originally, it was banned in Britain and given an X rating in the U.S. for its graphic depiction of, among other sado-masochistic activities, Ariane nailing a client's penis to a board (an act that, according to reports, was not simulated). The film's depiction of sexual activity is less shocking in an age of ubiquitous internet pornography[1], and that probably is to the film's benefit. At its core, this is a relationship story, and it is a good one. Depardieu's Olivier is restlessly searching for someone or something to give meaning and direction to his life; Ogier's Ariane, so imposing in her role as dominatrix, seems much smaller and more fragile once she removes her wig, and is equally ready to find someone to love on her own terms, to fulfill her own emotional and sexual needs. Schroeder skilfully portrays the process through which they negotiate — in fits and starts, and not always successfully — the power structure of their relationship.
 [1] Although many viewers may find scenes of horses being slaughtered in an abattoir difficult to watch.
Maitresse was controversial in its day; originally, it was banned in Britain and given an X rating in the U.S. for its graphic depiction of, among other sado-masochistic activities, Ariane nailing a client's penis to a board (an act that, according to reports, was not simulated). The film's depiction of sexual activity is less shocking in an age of ubiquitous internet pornography[1], and that probably is to the film's benefit. At its core, this is a relationship story, and it is a good one. Depardieu's Olivier is restlessly searching for someone or something to give meaning and direction to his life; Ogier's Ariane, so imposing in her role as dominatrix, seems much smaller and more fragile once she removes her wig, and is equally ready to find someone to love on her own terms, to fulfill her own emotional and sexual needs. Schroeder skilfully portrays the process through which they negotiate — in fits and starts, and not always successfully — the power structure of their relationship.
 [1] Although many viewers may find scenes of horses being slaughtered in an abattoir difficult to watch.