Story of Women (1988)

Set against the backdrop of World War II in occupied France, Story of Women illuminates the life of Marie Latour, a woman of modest education, bearing the weight of raising two children in a shabby flat. In 1941, her husband Paul returns from his German captivity, his frail health barring him from any gainful employment. Marie stumbles into a shadowy livelihood, offering abortions to women desperate for a way out, using a rudimentary soapy water technique. A significant number of her clients are women impregnated by the occupying Germans. Marie's newfound income allows her to upgrade her living standards, introducing better food and clothes into their lives. She begins to cast her eyes on a better flat and, through her connection with a prostitute acquaintance, she sublets her bedrooms to sex workers during the daytime. Marie grows increasingly detached towards Paul, whose own sense of humiliation swells in contrast with her ascending income. Marie nurtures a dream of becoming a singer, a beacon of hope in her otherwise dim existence. However, the looming shadow of male Vichy resentment and societal moral duplicity threaten to disrupt her balancing act. The question lingers - what goes on in Marie's mind as she navigates this precarious life? Intrigue and tension build in this provocative portrayal of a woman's survival in a time of war and moral crisis.

Story of Women is a drama movie featuring Isabelle Huppert.

Story of Women is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.