France in the 1930s was captivated by murderesses. The sensational trials of the Papin sisters, maids who stabbed the family they worked for, and the infamous poisoner Violette Noizere circulated widely in the press as the public clamored for every wild detail. Abuse, rape and murder, it seemed, had a bit of allure when flashbulbs lit up porcelain white skin. François Ozon’s new film The Crime Is Mine ushers us past the gilded proscenium and into this world of theater and justice.
Poor Madeleine (Nadia Tereszkiewicz) is a struggling actress living in a barebones flat with her friend Pauline (Rebecca Marder). Though Pauline is a capable and headstrong lawyer, they’re having trouble getting enough francs together to pay the rent. When Madeline is suspected of murdering a scowling theater producer, the pair devise a plot that can earn them money and applause. Everything seems to go in their favor; they’ve stuck to the script, which paid off glamorously. But the entrance of a strange new actor in their third act threatens to bring the curtain down on everything they’ve built.
And what a folie à deux. Tereszkiewicz and Marder are a sparkling and dynamic duo. Tereszkiewicz plays the blonde, heart-driven ingénue with an airy yet winking innocence, while Marder is the booksmart brunette with a self-assured drive and maturity. Together, they play their farce like a fiddle, pulling all the levels behind their scripted façade with slapstick comedic timing. Though Madeleine and Pauline sometimes trip over themselves, Ozon’s ornate script feels logical because Tereszkiewicz and Marder are always consistent and in total control of their characters—even when Isabelle Huppert makes her grand entrance in the final act.
A force in feathers, Huppert’s Odette Chaumette is a former silent film star looking for her “return” and claiming to be the true culprit of the crime that made Madeleine and Pauline celebrities. Odette’s profession means Huppert is always in a state of exaggeration, acting for the back row, letting her expressions do the talking. Her flurried gestures conduct the scene. Full of mischievous wit and brilliantly inhabited by a consummate actress, “La Chaumette” is one of Huppert’s finest comedic performances to date. Just as she did when they collaborated on the murder-mystery-musical 8 Women, Huppert proves she is one of Ozon’s best interpreters in The Crime Is Mine.
Here, his meticulous whimsy is on display in excellent fashion. We see the 1930s through a theatrical lens. As always, the costumes by frequent Ozon collaborator Pascaline Chavanne are all divine, with not a wig out of place. Jean Rabasse has dressed each set to the last exquisite detail. The Crime Is Mine has an overly clean, brightly lit and “put-on” aesthetic that feels like an extended Marple episode or a nonchalant afternoon of coffee and croissants. But artifice doesn’t go to waste in an Ozon picture. The stagey quality of the sets and costumes are constant reminders that we are always spectators, here to spectacle.
The lacework of theatricality and performance that Ozon has laid into The Crime Is Mine is exciting to watch unfold. In a world where the law and justice depend on rhetoric, the script matters more than the facts. We often see characters preferring to play a part to save their interests rather than admit the truth. As an actress accusing herself of murder, Madeleine is doubly concerned with motivation. She must build a logical motive for murder and the impetus for the character she’s playing in the larger scheme she’s developed with Pauline. If they stick to their script, “crime works miracles.” Their roles as lawyer and convict are the same as a director and actress, dedicated to crafting a sensational public performance. It pays to put on a good show in court.
The marketed “feminism” of The Crime Is Mine exists in the sense that it is a women-led film in which all men are caricaturish pigs destroying everything, forcing women into crime. And there’s definite tension between Pauline and Odette. Ozon likes women and queerness, but to look for a rich critique of patriarchy here would be a red herring. The Crime Is Mine is a Lindy Hopping tale of media and public corruption with a sly Sapphic undertone. The theatrical proscenium he places as a parameter around his film allows him to showcase his gifts for intelligent blocking, precise composition and bold design. His film is light and sugary; not really for anything, but wholly enjoyable nonetheless. The crime is ours if we expect it to be more politically feminist.
Though it lacks a more exigent purpose, The Crime Is Mine has layers of textbook farce decorated with a confectioner’s critique. We rarely see such quaint delights in cinemas these days. Stepping into Ozon’s world of theaters, we are social actors in a play that always goes wrong. But if we know our lines and are quick on our feet, we might be able to take more than just center stage.
Director: François Ozon
Writer: François Ozon
Starring: Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Rebecca Marder, Isabelle Huppert, Fabrice Luchini, Dany Boon, André Dussollier
Release Date: December 25, 2023
B.L. Panther is a culture writer, scholar and Pisces from Northern Illinois. B! writes for outlets such as Honey Literary Journal and The Spool. A champion hermit, they enjoy reading, the indoors, afternoon naps and doing nothing at all.