Nouvelle Vague

Elena drives alone around her estate near Lake Geneva and encounters Roger Lennox after he’s been forced off the road. She stops to help him, and Roger offers his hand, signaling the start of their enigmatic bond. This moment evokes the 'miracle of empty hands' and foreshadows a dependence that will shape their relationship.

Roger becomes Elena's kept man, devoted and quietly subservient to her and to the household. He moves through Elena's life with a gentle obedience that unsettles the other members of her retinue. Elena relishes the attention, while the circle—Raoul, his girlfriend, the Doctor, and the Doctor's wife Dorothy Parker—accommodates the arrangement.

Over time, both Elena and Roger express dissatisfaction with their arrangement, hinting at underlying regrets. They spend time reflecting on power, control, and what they want from their lives together. The mood foreshadows a shifting dynamic that will be tested by Elena's next move.

Elena decides to motor across the lake to visit friends, signaling a desire for movement and independence. Roger dutifully drives the boat and carries out Elena's wishes. The choice sets the stage for the pivotal boating incident that will redefine their fates.

On Elena's invitation, they reach the water's edge; Roger cannot swim, and when Elena returns to the boat, he falls into the lake. Elena witnesses his drowning without offering help, revealing a chilling indifference. The tragedy abruptly deconstructs their arrangement and leaves Elena alone with the consequences.

Back at the estate, the servants and Raoul scramble to erase Roger’s presence from memory and records. They destroy or hide traces of his involvement to protect Elena and themselves. Yet the incident also sparks a broader crisis that unsettles the household.

A man identical to Roger, Richard Lennox, arrives claiming to be Roger’s brother and ambiguously aware of the boating incident. He uses the knowledge to threaten Elena, seeking to seize control of one of her companies. The confrontation marks the start of a legal and personal power struggle.

Richard's demeanor evolves from passive to aggressive as he asserts influence over Elena's affairs. Elena gradually becomes pliant, yielding more control to him in exchange for stability or protection. The balance of power tilts decisively in his favor.

In a direct echo of the earlier tragedy, Lennox takes the boat out again and Elena falls into the water, unable to swim. Richard initially seems indifferent, but he suddenly reaches for Elena’s hand and saves her. The rescue seals a fragile equilibrium where he controls the situation while she maintains leadership in name.

A new balance is established: Richard now effectively controls Elena’s affairs, while she retains final say over major decisions. Lennox arranges the sale of the estate for a large sum, reshaping the couple’s power dynamic. They remain together, moving forward as equals.

Elena warmly bids the servants farewell, signaling a closing of the old household order. The staff, already maneuvered by Richard, exits with mixed emotions as the estate changes hands. The mood hints at a new era of freedom and risk for Elena.

Elena and Richard drive away together, leaving behind the familiar estate. Their partnership is renewed and imagined as a venture into further adventures as equals. The ending emphasizes a reinvigorated, self-directed future.