Wild Orchid

In Claude Chabrol’s “Wild Orchid,” a worldly lawyer’s professional acumen fails her as she succumbs to the magnetic allure of a wealthy Brazilian businessman in Rio de Janeiro. Their affair, a cascade of sensuous encounters, unfolds with Chabrol’s signature blend of psychological acuity and moral ambiguity, casting a lurid glow over the couple’s indulgent retreats and the consequences that soon follow. The film is a masterclass in the filmmaker’s ability to transform the complex dynamics of desire and power into a compelling, if morally ambiguous, narrative.