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Story of Women

Play trailer Poster for Story of Women 1989 1h 50m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
85% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
In Nazi-occupied France, Marie (Isabelle Huppert), a mother of two, is struggling to support her family. Her debilitated husband, Paul (François Cluzet), can no longer work when he comes back from the war. Out of desperation, Marie decides to perform illicit abortions and charge large sums for her services. Before long she's making a considerable amount of money from her secret occupation -- which soon leads her to disregard the ailing Paul and turn her attentions to a lavish new lifestyle.

Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 01/01/2000
2.5/4
What is Chabrol's message? He does not say. His film is as opaque as his character. Story of Women is a morality play without a conclusion. Go to Full Review
Henry Sheehan Los Angeles Reader 08/12/2022
It is quite simply the masterpiece that shows Chabrol has been growing and changing, modifying his fundamental concerns and refining his already elevated technique, but retaining his extraordinary combination of psychological insight and formal control. Go to Full Review
Rene Jordan El Nuevo Herald (Miami) 07/06/2022
Story of Women is not an edited spectacle… it simply gives testimony to a twisted life in a demeaning era. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review
Nathanael Hood Nate Hood Reviews 04/07/2020
7/10
...even during wartime, Chabrol argues, women have a right to live for themselves. Go to Full Review
Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com 05/16/2009
A+
Neither Huppert nor the director pass any judgements on Marie's actions, nor does either shy away from her wartime imposed survivalist attitude to the world around her. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/05/2005
4/5
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Audience Reviews

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Yellowfur D 10/07/2023 The situation of women has always been related to politics. And among the people who control politics, there are very few women. It's really rare to find such a good abortion movie that combines women's resistance, unyielding, and trembling with historical and current affairs. This is a movie from 1988. Excellent both mentally and technically. Also, in comparison, France is relatively bold on the subject of abortion, while the United States, please stop making abortion movies in a comedic way. See more s r @ScottR 12/08/2021 1001 movies to see before you die. A reasonably well made movie about an abortionist in France during WW2. It was depressing despite its unique themes. It was on youtube. See more William L 02/11/2021 "How could men understand?" Well, I'm with you there. Story of Women is a dramatization of unique circumstances, portraying an illicit abortionist in Nazi-occupied France whose actions the films portray variously as a result of practicality, a general sense of female liberation, and a pointed retribution to her own domestic problems. That's my main issue with the film - it gives Marie's character no firmly established motivation or direction and prefers to throw a slew of them instead of making a choice; a film entirely based around her is doomed to be thematically loose as a result. There is an attempt to interweave a more contemporary perspective on the morality of abortion and its perception in society into the mix, but it's sporadic and never explored in depth. The film tries to create a protagonist of some complexity, which is great, but also refuses to paint any of those character attributes in a negative light. Story of Women is admittedly very well-acted, with Cluzet and particularly Huppert giving strong performances, but the film would today be called Oscar bait with its uncertain footing, narrative that clamors for recognition rather than significance, and towering lead performance. (2.5/5) See more 12/08/2015 good pic & another lost review flixter! See more 06/21/2013 Giving insights on France during world war,this movie beautifully captures the emotions of almost everyone getting affected by war,keeping in lead the imperfect Protagonist...! See more 03/15/2013 A film that plays almost like a feminist documentary, there was too much of the costumes and the settings that seemed like they were from the 1980's and not 1940's, which really took me out of the reality they were trying to create. See more Read all reviews
Story of Women

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Movie Info

Synopsis In Nazi-occupied France, Marie (Isabelle Huppert), a mother of two, is struggling to support her family. Her debilitated husband, Paul (François Cluzet), can no longer work when he comes back from the war. Out of desperation, Marie decides to perform illicit abortions and charge large sums for her services. Before long she's making a considerable amount of money from her secret occupation -- which soon leads her to disregard the ailing Paul and turn her attentions to a lavish new lifestyle.
Director
Claude Chabrol
Producer
Marin Karmitz
Distributor
New Yorker Films
Production Co
Films A2, Les Films du Camelia, MK2 Productions
Genre
Drama
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 13, 1989, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Aug 10, 2005
Runtime
1h 50m