After a tragic hit-and-run accident, a man swears revenge, something easier imagined than realized.
Claude Chabrol (1930-2010) was one of the founding members of the French New Wave who parlayed their film criticism into careers as directors. Chabrol was in fact the first of his esteemed group (which included Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Jacques Rivette, and Eric Rohmer) to release his debut feature, Le Beau Serge in 1958.
After a handful of realistic, personal films and a brief stint as a director for hire, Chabrol entered a heavily-stylized period in the late 1960's which elevated him to the master status he carried through the rest of his career. Working frequently with then-wife Stéphane Audran, he released six films in three years, all of which are considered classics of the thriller genre, and earned him the long-standing reputation as the "French Hitchcock". Chabrol's book-length analysis of the work of the real Hitchcock is one of the first serious studies of the now-legendary British filmmaker.
The Beast Must Die ("Que la Bête Muere" in French) comes in the middle of this peak period and stands out from the others for having a sole male protagonist (a rarity in Chabrol's work) and a recurring use of voice-over. What it shares with many other Chabrol films is a skewering of bourgeois society, as well as the raising of difficult moral questions with regard to murder and its accompanying guilt.
Chabrol would fade from critical esteem in the late 1970's but managed a resurgence throughout the 1990's up to the present day, and finished his career with over 50 films to his credit. He was the recipient of various Lifetime Achievement awards and a frequent presence with his films at the larger festivals.
Running time is approx, 1 hr, 45 min.
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