

In 19th-century France, doctor's wife Emma Bovary seeks to escape her dull provincial life through various extramarital affairs and extravagant spending, leading to tragic consequences.
Acting
Huppert's micro-expressions convey entire novels of repressed longing.
Direction
Chabrol's clinical detachment makes the tragedy hit harder.
Costume
Every gown is a beautiful lie Emma tells herself.

Director
Claude Chabrol
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Chabrol filmed in real Normandy locations Flaubert described, including the actual inn where Emma meets Léon.
Huppert deliberately played Emma without sympathy, arguing her entitlement and cruelty were as important as her victimhood — a choice that divided critics but feels devastatingly modern.
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