Chabrol has found a rich mine of material in what he calls the "little themes," and [in La Femme Infidèle] he is working within a very narrow range, both visually and emotionally. However, within these limits, few directors are more skillful at using a sensuous cinematic style to suggest a world of minimal feelings and reified relationships. (pp. 56-7)

Chabrol establishes his characters as ambulatory objets d'art in luxurious settings. Everything is pretty…. [Hélène] harmonizes so well with the decor of her drawing room—her pale grey eyeshadow echoing the soft tones of the carved wood paneling, her earrings catching the light and sparkling like the television commercials her husband … is so fond of watching—that we see her primarily as an object in a perfectly arranged background.

In fact, the idea of nature morte seems to inform the imagery throughout the film. Objects are...