"Love stories must have a beginning, a middle and an end," agree Bernard and Mathilde, two lovers who seem perpetually stuck between the second and third of these three stages. Several years after the pair split from an intense and all-consuming relationship, they are reunited - by chance or by coincidence - in the provinces, as the newly married Mathilde moves into the house next door to Bernard, his wife Arlette and their young son.

At first sight, both couples seem happy with their lot in life. Bernard, in particular, appears to share an affectionate and passionate bond with the winsome Arlette. However, the flames of old prove too strong and he falls once more for Mathilde, triggering a torrid affair with inevitably tragic results.

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As its title suggests, The Woman Next Door deals with well-worn character types (the jilted lover, the femme fatale and the lonely cuckold to name three). However, it manages to distinguish itself from similar domestic thrillers thanks to the director's knack for extracting complex and mysterious performances from his principal players. Fanny Ardant, in one of her first notable roles, is particularly fine as the volatile Mathilde, warily recognised by Bernard as "one of those women who complicate life."

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Truffaut's film is quite how precarious the balance of power is between these ill-fated lovers. The pair's emotional stability - and their level of 'control' over the relationship - is in a state of constant flux. This heightens the sense of tension as we head towards an ending that's just as explosive as the conclusions of Jules et Jim and La Peau Douce.

Chris Wiegand