The Color of Lies is a 1999 film co-written and directed by Claude Chabrol

Claude Chabrol

Claude Chabrol was a French film director, a member of the French New Wave group of filmmakers who first came to prominence at the end of the 1950s...

. Its title in French is Au cœur du mensonge (literally At the heart of the lie).

Plot

In a small town in Brittany

Brittany

Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...

, a 10-year-old girl is found murdered. The last person to see her alive was her art teacher and professional artist René (Gamblin

Jacques Gamblin

Jacques Gamblin is a French actor.He was born in Granville, Manche. He studied at the Centre dramatique de Caen before he tried to film in Paris.-Filmography:*Périgord Noir...

). He soon becomes the primary suspect in the murder investigation spearheded by the new chief of police Frédérique Lesage (Bruni-Tedeschi), which destroys his life as people in the small town believe that he is the killer although there is no hard evidence. René is completely dedicated to his wife (Bonnaire

Sandrine Bonnaire

Sandrine Bonnaire is a French actress, who has appeared in more than 40 films including Hollywood movies.Bonnaire was born in the town of Gannat, Allier, in the Auvergne region. She was born into a working-class family, the seventh of eleven children. Her acting career began at the age of 16 in...

), a nurse whose perpetual happy moodis the polar opposite of his personality. Meanwhile, Frederique becomes better acquainted with the eccentric residents of the town, including an arrogant television journalist (de Caunes

Antoine de Caunes

Antoine de Caunes is a television presenter, actor, writer and film director. He is the son of two prominent French personalities, television journalist-reporter Georges de Caunes and television announcer Jacqueline Joubert...

), a small-time crook who fences stolen goods (Marlot), and a bizarre pair of married shopkeepers (Ogier

Bulle Ogier

Bulle Ogier is a French actress.Ogier's first appearance on screen was in Voilà l'Ordre, a short film directed by Jacques Baratier with a number of the then-emerging young singers of the 1960s in France, including Boris Vian, Claude Nougaro, etc.She worked with Jacques Rivette Bulle Ogier (born...

 and (Simsolo).

Principal cast

Actor	Role
Sandrine Bonnaire Sandrine Bonnaire Sandrine Bonnaire is a French actress, who has appeared in more than 40 films including Hollywood movies.Bonnaire was born in the town of Gannat, Allier, in the Auvergne region. She was born into a working-class family, the seventh of eleven children. Her acting career began at the age of 16 in...	Vivianne Sterne
Jacques Gamblin Jacques Gamblin Jacques Gamblin is a French actor.He was born in Granville, Manche. He studied at the Centre dramatique de Caen before he tried to film in Paris.-Filmography:*Périgord Noir...	René Sterne
Antoine de Caunes Antoine de Caunes Antoine de Caunes is a television presenter, actor, writer and film director. He is the son of two prominent French personalities, television journalist-reporter Georges de Caunes and television announcer Jacqueline Joubert...	Germain-Roland Desmot
Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Valeria Bruni Tedeschi Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, also spelled Bruni-Tedeschi, is an Italian-French actress.-Personal life:...	Frédérique Lesage
Bernard Verley	Inspecteur Loudun
Bulle Ogier Bulle Ogier Bulle Ogier is a French actress.Ogier's first appearance on screen was in Voilà l'Ordre, a short film directed by Jacques Baratier with a number of the then-emerging young singers of the 1960s in France, including Boris Vian, Claude Nougaro, etc.She worked with Jacques Rivette Bulle Ogier (born...	Évelyne Bordier
Pierre Martot	Regis Marchal
Adrienne Pauly Adrienne Pauly Adrienne Pauly is a French actress and pop-rock singer, born in Clamart, France.She joined the Conservatoire National Superieur d'Art Dramatique in 1996, where she studied drama, and acted in films until 2002, when she discovered the piano through Camille Bazbaz...	Anna

Critical reception

The film received very favorable reviews.

Michael Thomson of BBC Films

BBC Films

BBC Films is the feature film-making arm of the BBC. It has produced or co-produced some of the most successful British films of recent years, including An Education, StreetDance 3D, Fish Tank, Stage Beauty, A Cock and Bull Story, Nativity! and Match Point.It aims to make strong British films with...

:
Michael Atkinson of The Village Voice

The Village Voice

The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...

:
Christopher Null of Filmcritic.com gave the film a good review but had only one issue of contention: