The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover

Albert Spica, a violent and domineering gangster, takes over an upscale French restaurant in London and turns it into his nightly headquarters, arriving with his henchmen and his wife, Georgina. His crude behavior drives away other diners, and he treats both the staff and Georgina with contempt. The restaurant's French chef, Richard, runs his kitchen with precision while enduring Albert's abuse, and a regular customer, a quiet bookish man named Michael, catches Georgina's attention. She and Michael begin an affair, and Richard allows them to meet in the restaurant's hidden spaces. When Albert learns of the affair, he responds with brutal violence, setting off a cycle of revenge.

Peter Greenaway wrote and directed the film, which followed The Draughtsman's Contract in his filmography. Michael Gambon plays Albert, Helen Mirren plays Georgina, Richard Bohringer plays the chef, and Alan Howard plays Michael, with Tim Roth and Ciarán Hinds among the credited cast of 47. Made for about 2 million dollars, it returned roughly 8 million worldwide. On IMDb it holds 7.5 from 45,000 votes, and on TMDB 7.3 from 747 votes, while a critics' rating stands at 7.6 from 52 reviews, close to the audience scores.