Mausolée pour une garce

Adapted from a best-selling novel by Frédéric Dard. Agnès Taride has a closet full of skeletons. A beautiful woman, accustomed to using her body to get what she wants, she persuades her lover to murder her ex-husband for the life insurance money that will otherwise go to her daughter when she reaches her upcoming 18th birthday. The murder attempt goes awry, and not only does the ex survive, but a witness calls on his underworld connections to avenge the attack on his friend. From here, the plot and counter-plot become ever more complicated, with blackmail, kidnap, murder, seduction and suicide on the agenda, and a surprise twist in the ending.

Directed by Arnaud Sélignac, Mausolée pour une garce leans on a strong ensemble — Sylvie Vartan, Francis Huster, Jacques Weber — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about thriller titles of 2001.