Teresa Raquin

Despite the considerable talent involved, this tale of passion and murder is pallid stuff. It's filled with bald plot-twists, ending with the ultimate of deux ex machinas, a huge truck careening down a small street for no reason except to kill off a major character, thus creating the pat ironic ending. Every plot twist is unconvincing, from the idea that Vallone and Duby would hit it off in any context, or that the couple would plan to leave a day or so after they told her husband about their affair rather than immediately, to the mother conveniently having a totally paralysing stroke at just the right moment. I guess one can blame Zola for some of this, but this updated version adds nothing.