Le Boucher
A dramedy inspired by a true event, Le Boucher is an intimate, layered story filled with loveable, quirky characters.
In late 1959, Cheval-Blanc was no different than any other small French village. In some senses, time moved forward as villages re-built following World War II. But when it came to social issues, such as the inequality between men and women, husband and wife, time stood still. Against this backdrop, the bloody Algerian conflict dragged on and on.
The catalyst for change in Cheval-Blanc, propelling it into the next decade in both time and thought, occurs when the old village butcher dies. Sure, he rigged his scale and skimped on his sausage, but he was a known quantity. Besides, given the men of the village’s collective inability to hunt, meat would be scarce in no time. Enter the young and handsome Michel Daudet, who had heard that Cheval-Blanc was in need of a butcher.
Michel's arrival causes quite a stir among the women of the village, particularly the married women. Very little time passes before Michel first starts “delivering the goods” to the married women of the village. Suddenly, this little sleepy village isn’t so anemic anymore. It’s downright blossoming with passion. And even with this rampant infidelity, the marriages actually begin to heal as the women regain their femininity, their blush, their lust and rise from their second class citizenship roles.
Michel, on the other hand, is something of a martyr. While he cannot deny any of these women in need, the numerous daily affairs are gradually sapping Michel of his life forces. As for the husbands, they know nothing except they’re happy. They’re happy at the bar, happy at the dinner table, even happy at home without the constant harping. They have it good … perhaps, too good? Unfortunately, soon enough, a light is shed on this newfound goodness. Now it’s a situation of a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. But who is the one to do it? Who will slay the butcher?