Chabrol's Inspector Lavardin (Jean Poiret) is introduced in this film, the first of a successful series. Chabrol said, "As you probably noticed, policemen generally go by twos, as nuns in the old days. One of them has the threatening attitude...whereas the other one is more compromising and cools down the situation; he is understanding and friendly. Jean Poiret summarizes the two aspects of the police in one person." The plot revolves around the venal machinations of several big cheeses in a small town-the doctor, the butcher, the notary-who are trying to get their hands on a piece of choice real estate. Its crazed owner (Stéphane Audran) and her mama's-boy son (harking back to Léda) take measures to protect their property, and the murders begin. "The superb Jean Poiret is disturbingly funny as the police inspector who makes a traditionally late entrance and promptly steals the show...with an urbanity that hints of the psychotic" (Lenny Berger, Variety).