Bel Ami (1955)

Paris, around 1880: The charming Georges Duroy returns to Paris from the army in Africa. He is nearly penniless, earns just enough to survive, lives with the courtesan Rachel, and is determined to rise in society. During an outing in the park, he runs into his former regimental comrade Forestier, who is now in charge of the political section of La Vie Française, published by the banker Walter. The two meet the wealthy Clothilde de Marelle in the park. She confirms to Forestier that she will come to dinner the following evening, where she hopes to see Duroy as well. Forestier now feels obliged to invite Duroy. At the dinner party, Duroy regales the guests with stories from his time in the regiment. The women are captivated by him, including Clothilde, the publisher Walter’s wife, and Walter’s daughter Suzanne. Walter, in turn, wants to publish Duroy’s experiences as a series of articles. Duroy is supposed to write them, but would rather enjoy himself with Rachel, and eventually has the articles dictated to him by Forestier’s eloquent, skillful writer of a wife, Madeleine. Since Duroy’s articles side with the Moroccans, readers buy Moroccan bonds, driving up their value. When Walter fears he may incur losses, he ends Duroy’s articles but hires him as a writer of brief everyday news items for the newspaper. Duroy becomes Clothilde de Marelle’s lover. He tries to use her to gain further social influence, but she soon feels exploited. When they go to the Folies Bergère and Duroy is spotted there by Rachel, he ignores her. Rachel publicly reveals that she and Duroy were still together just last week, even though he had long since been living off Clothilde, who then leaves in horror. Meanwhile, the newspaper succeeds in bringing down the government and having its preferred candidate, Laroche-Mathieu, appointed foreign minister. The occupation of Morocco now seems the logical next step. Duroy turns his attention to Madeleine Forestier and courts her. When Forestier dies unexpectedly, Duroy marries Madeleine in 1887 and rises to become political editor of La Vie Française. At the same time, he begins courting Walter’s wife and flirting with her daughter Suzanne, who is in love with him. Duroy becomes embroiled in a political intrigue. Walter and Laroche-Mathieu instruct him to suggest in articles about Morocco that France will not occupy the country. The value of Moroccan bonds falls, and only from Mme. Walter does Duroy learn that it was all a trick: Walter has bought up the bonds cheaply, and Morocco is to be occupied. At home, Duroy catches Madeleine and Laroche-Mathieu in flagrante delicto and immediately gets a divorce. He tries to blackmail Walter with what he knows about the foreign minister’s private and political affairs. He wants to head the political section of La Vie Française, a seat in parliament, and a share of the profits expected from Morocco. After a few days, Walter refuses and instead has Laroche-Mathieu removed from office. Duroy has long since identified Suzanne as a more advantageous match and soon drops Mme. Walter, who believes herself to be his lover. Only Clothilde, who has returned, sees through his game and, on behalf of all the other women he has deceived, takes her revenge by slapping him. When Duroy is fired by Walter, and his knowledge of Laroche-Mathieu’s schemes is no longer enough to blackmail him because Laroche-Mathieu has been dismissed as minister, Duroy promptly abducts Suzanne, who adores him. He forces Walter to agree to the marriage; only Walter’s wife vehemently objects. The couple are married. Among the crowd outside the church is Rachel, who realizes that the cunning Duroy might one day even become a minister.