Aboard a train, a wealthy widower (Fernado Rey) dumps a bucket of water atop a beautiful young woman's (Carol Bouquet, Angela Molina) head and accounts for his actions to fellow passengers of his many continual frustrations with his doused victim and former lover. Like Bunuel's Belle de Jour is grounded in a plot, graspable, though still perplexing and not ambiguous and largely indecipherable like other of his heralded films (The Exterminating Angel, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie). Rey is excellent and the idea of casting two actresses in one role is a brilliant touch and keeps the viewer guessing.
*** 1/2 out of ****
