Rien ne va plus (The Swindle)
A leader of the
French New Wave and one of France’s most prolific directors, Claude Chabrol
follows his 1996 hit film “La Cérémonie” with this new crime caper “Rien
ne va plus,” a witty story of mystery and romance. Betty and Victor are 
a
pair of clever con-artists with a long history together. They have made their
living scamming money from ordinary unsuspecting citizens. The much younger
Betty announces one day that she has been secretly planning a big swindle of her
own. She has seduced Maurice, a handsome young executive who is planning to rip
off an international money launderer. With Victor’s help, Betty is hoping to
stage a double cross. Put off by her romance with Maurice, Victor tries to
convince her that this scheme is out of their league.
Concerned for her safety Victor follows them to Guadeloupe. The operation
doesn’t go quite as planned when greed becomes the prime motivator for all
involved. Suddenly they find themselves up against some big-time criminals with
very large guns. The prospect of millions entices Betty and Victor to
Switzerland but each step of the way problems ensue. Their desire for the big
pay-off may mean the end of their history together. Chabrol wanted to convey in
this film the idea that “human relationships are deeper and more interesting
than social relationships.”
Cast: Isabelle Huppert, Michel Serrault, François Cluzet, Jean-François Balmer.
Running time: 105 minutes
Year of production: 1997
Rating: Not rated