Daniela (Bellucci) is sitting in a shop window because she’s that kind of girl. Francois (Campan) is not normally that kind of guy, but on this occasion he has won the lottery. His question to Daniela is not ‘how much?’ but ‘for how long?’. Thus begins Blier’s beguiling examination of the cost of love in all the ways that one pays for passion.

Although Daniela says yes and promptly moves in, matters are complicated by her ‘husband’ and pimp (Depardieu) who is less than thrilled by the new arrangement. However, she’s a free (well, not that free) agent and who is he to stand in the way of her happiness? There’s the question that underscores this story of operatic proportions. “I love you enough to let you go – do you know how much love that is?” exclaims one character to another. Later, when the film has taken one of many irregular turns, moral high-ground is determined in a cat-fight about the geographic value of noisy orgasms. “I’m from the south,” asserts Daniela’s opponent. “So am I!” she retorts. “Well I’m further south!” is the tart response.

Bellucci is perfectly cast as the Madonna whore whose beauty and charm unravels all those around her. Campan’s damaged elf (he collapses when the sex is too good) is a natural foil while Depardieu lends screwball weight as proceedings shift from melodrama to farce. Blier’s use of musical punctuation, rather like his film, is effective, surprising and off-putting. As the story reduces to a series of rousing monologues about love, the cost of love and how much one can love – it comes clear that there’s really no easy answer to this ultimate question.

// COLIN FRASER