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.

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.

Story of Women is not an edited spectacle… it simply gives testimony to a twisted life in a demeaning era. [Full review in Spanish]

...even during wartime, Chabrol argues, women have a right to live for themselves.