“The wolf pack’s thinning out.”

French director, Claude Chabrol’s film Cop au Vin is a tale of corruption, greed and murder set in a small, sleepy French village. Wheel chair bound widow Madame Cuno (Stephane Audran) lives with her only son Louis (Lucas Belvaux) in the family’s once grand, but now dilapidated home. The Cunos are under siege from the aggressive FILAMO Real Estate Corporation to sell their home and land to make way for future construction. The Cunos refuse to sell, and this makes the partners of FILAMO rather upset. The real estate corporation is composed of the violent Filiol, the local butcher, Docteur Philipe Morasseau (Jean Topart), and lawyer, Hubert Laviosier (Michel Bouquet). Morasseau’s wife, Delphine, is the one with the money, and she hesitates to use strong-arm tactics against the Cunos to get them out of their home.

When Filiol is killed, Inspecteur Jean Lavardin (Jean Poiret) turns up in town to investigate, and it isn’t long before he uncovers the dirt and scandal behind small town life. Lavardin is an interesting character–his seemingly genial light-hearted manner covers a relentless desire to solve the crime.

The bizarre relationship between Madame Cuno and her son is at the heart of this delightful mystery. Characterizations are Chabrol’s strong point, and the Cunos are both fascinating. The repellent, bitter Madame Cuno is an emotional blackmailer who lashes her son constantly with reminders of his father’s failures and the duties he now owes her. Louis is a quiet, good, responsible son, and taking orders from his dreadful mother, he embarks on an espionage campaign against FILAMO using his job as a postman to assist in his discoveries. Cop au Vin is an intriguing film, but the conclusion ties loose ends together a little too hurriedly. While Cop au Vin is not Chabrol’s best film, it’s vastly entertaining, and Chabrol fans won’t want to miss it. If you enjoy this film, I also recommend Inspecteur Lavardin. In French with English subtitles.