Having auditioned many unsuitable actresses for his play Venus in Fur - an adaptation of the Leopold von Sacher-Masoch erotic classic - director Tom (Polanski-lookalike Mathieu Amalric) is on his way home when the brash and vulgar Vanda (Polanski's gorgeous wife Emmanuelle Seigner) arrives late. Initially the polar opposite of what Tom is looking for, Vanda transforms into the character when she performs and a battle of the sexes ensues.

On and on it goes with Tom standing in as the male lead, seemingly in control until Vanda turns the tables, exposes his sexist attitude and winds up putting him in heels and tying him to a post. As far as I could tell, the definitive message is about the exploitation of women in the entertainment industry, though the stunning Seigner who is exceptional in the role, does little visually to incite support of the argument. A showcase for her talents certainly, but after so much chatter I was none the wiser and couldn't see the point of it all.