Inspector Lavardin

The recent success of Claude Chabrol's STORY OF WOMEN and MADAME BOVARY, both starring Isabelle Huppert, helped bring about the belated US release of two of the director's formerly overlooked efforts, 1987's THE CRY OF THE OWL and the previous year's INSPECTOR LAVARDIN. A deliciously entertaining sequel to the French hit POULET AU VINAIGRE, INSPECTOR LAVARDIN continues the adventures of a most unorthodox police detective, played by the late Jean Poiret.

Raoul Mons (Jacques Dacqmine) is a pious, portly writer of boring novels who, as the film begins, is seen throwing his considerable weight behind the banning of a sacreligious play in his provincial town. The nex...