The my in My Night At Mauds belongs to the protagonist played by Jean-Louis Trintignant, a Catholic engineer whose struggle with his faith is renewed when he falls instantly in love with a woman hes never met (Marie-Christine Barrault) while attending mass. A chance meeting with an amoral old friend (Antoine Vitez) the same night places him in a potentially compromising situation when hes forced to spend the night with Vitezs alluring acquaintance Maude (Françoise Fabian), a sophisticated woman who challenges Trintignants belief through intellectual and fleshly means. ~ Keith Phipps, All Movie Guide