Color, 1976, 112m. / Directed by Barbet Schroeder / Starring Gérard Depardieu, Bulle Ogier / Criterion (US R1 NTSC) / WS (1.66:1) (16:9)
Easily one of the strangest romances ever made, Maîtresse can't really be classified as an "erotic" film in that there's no traditional sexual activity on display. However, while the basic plotline is fairly traditional, there's quite a bit of extreme content that rears its head at unexpected moments, such as a visit to a horse meat factory, a man's genitalia graphically pinned to a chair (years before Schramm), and a bourgeois B&D party at a country home. Schroeder wisely has Ogier don a black, Louise Brooks-style wig for the film's most explicit movement in the middle of the film, allowing a real dom to convincingly serve as her stand-in for some of the more, um, sensitive moments.
At first glance, Maîtresse seems wildly out of step for its director, sociologically-inclined Barbet Schroeder. Best known for such penetrating cultural studies (and cult favorites) Idi Amin
Dada, More, and Reversal of Fortune, he turns his eye here to a peculiar love story that plays like Story of O reworked by Francois Truffaut. Depardieu stars as Olivier, a good-natured thief who, with the aid of an old friend, enters the lavish, modernist apartment of Ariane (Ogier) due to complaints of broken plumbing. She explains that the apartment below is vacated, so Olivier plots a robbery for that night. Upon breaking in, Olivier is astonished to discovery a wealth of S&M accoutrements; Ariane catches him in the act, but rather than phoning the police, she turns out to be surprisingly receptive to his lifestyle. However, hers turns out to be more problematic; she's a very active and popular dominatrix who quickly ushers the inexperienced crook into a series of scenarios involving willing submissives. The smitten Olivier becomes intrigued about Ariane and tries to uncover the full extent of her activities, including a wealthy and possibly nefarious sponsor named Gautier; however, his investigations prove to be more than a slight strain on their relationship.
With its detached approach and cool, sleek visual style as counterpoints to "deviant" sexuality, the film is a fascinating precursor to David Cronenberg's Crash (with which this also shares a similarly resonant finale); both films are also darkly funny, presenting quirks of the human libido as an idiosyncrasy society just isn't quite equipped to handle yet. Schroeder nicely contrasts Ariane's austere, futuristic S&M chamber with the Parisian warmth outside, creating two wholly different but convincing worlds. While Depardieu doesn't have much to do here besides looking concerned and befuddled, Ogier (also in Schroeder's excellent The Valley) is a striking, memorable presence here; she remains intriguing without being directly menacing, regularly altering her appearance but always carrying a hint of vulnerability.
Continuing to tread in more dangerous waters than many studios would attempt, Criterion presents Maîtresse on DVD in a fine anamorphic presentation, bringing out the searing neon hues and glittering metallic surfaces of Ariane's workplace with admirable clarity. The optional English subtitles are easy to read and well-paced, while the 1.66:1 framing works fine on its own or blows up to 1.78:1 without much compromise on widescreen sets. The disc's sole extra is a worthwhile one, a 19-minute video interview conducted in 2003 with Schroeder at his home in New York. He talks about his early career before discussing about the film at hand, explaining how it fits into his continuing fascination with wanting to look in people's apartments and study what's really going on, both on the surface and in the darker hidden places everyone seems to hide.
