Often dubbed a French Hitchcock, Claude Chabrol was also greatly influenced by Fritz Lang. In This Man Must Die, Chabrol and his regular co-writer Paul Gégauff use the recurrent Langian themes of fate and revenge to explore how dark instincts are awakened even in the most civilized man. In so doing, the director consciously abandons the conventional mechanics of suspense for psychological nuances and atmosphere. Ambiguity is at the core of the film -- Charles, the "hero," is not as positive as he seems to be, and Paul, the "villain," happens to be a more complex character than he looks on a first glance. Both Michel Duchaussoy and Jean Yanne handle their intricate parts admirably. Yanne's role is flashier, but Duchaussoy manages to run a whole gamut of feelings under the mask of restraint. Caroline Cellier, who substitutes here for Chabrol's regular Stéphane Audran, offers a finely tuned performance as the confused and fragile Helene. Unlike Hitchcock, who greatly relied on elaborate shots and editing, Chabrol often prefers to let the characters explore their emotions before an unmoving camera. Locations also play an important role in the director's films, and the Brittany coast, beautifully photographed by Jean Rabier, further contributes to the movie's chilly atmosphere, as does Pierre Jansen's moody and unobtrusive score.