Potiche – review

Kitsch charm: Catherine Deneuve and Fabrice Luchini in François Ozon's Potiche.

“Potiche” translates as “Trophy Wife” and iconic screen beauty Catherine Deneuve plays a woman who is determined to become anything but a trophy wife in this fun French farce. Previously content with the slow-paced life at home, once her boisterous and adulterous husband falls ill through stress and she is forced into the hot-seat at his strike-riddled umbrella factory, she starts to see the world from a different perspective.

The film is set in the 70’s, playing on the kitsch and brazenness of the time and verging on a Carry On-style playfulness. The theme in focus is effectively “girl-power”, but just a couple of decades before the Spice Girls. Deneuve’s reinvigorated bourgeois housewife, Suzanne Pujol, is making up for lost time as her husband’s breakdown becomes a kind of fillip or moment of clarity for her and she realises that she has been on the shelf too long.

Her husband Robert Pujol [Fabrice Luchini] is the stereotypical chauvinistic male and a waspish character who lives for his work. He is always late home from the office – although some of that is due to canoodling with his secretary – and continually talking shop and moaning about the strike threats.

The unsympathetic owner/manager riles his staff to the point of industrial action and the situation reaches boiling point when the striking workers, under the influence of the communist-leaning political figure Maurice Babin [Gérard Depardieu], take Robert hostage. Suzanne manages to diffuse the situation, after she agrees to take over from Robert for an interim period and bow down to some to the demands from the employees.

It is not only Robert who finds the idea of his wife taking over the reins absurd, but even her son and daughter – Laurent [Jérémie Renier] and Joëlle [Judith Godrèche] – laugh at the notion that their mum could take on such a role. But with Robert at risk of recurrent heart-attacks and his children both having reasons for not being able to fulfil the role, it is the logical immediate solution.

The workers presume that the appointment is simply a mitigation tactic by means of having a pretty face instead of the old tyrant to deliver the same rhetoric, but obviously Madame Pujol has other ideas and the overhaul, make-over and woman’s touch on the company begins.

Amidst this simple premise of the trophy wife transforming into the inspiring boss, there are several subplots that keeps Potiche entertaining throughout. The film is an adaptation of a play by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Grédys and Director Francois Ozon has injected his film with an abundance of dramatic interplay between the characters and there is a concoction of comedy, romance, scheming, revelations and deceit in a fun-packed caper.

Suzanne got the workers onside originally with the help of her husband’s nemesis, Babin – a move that in Robert’s eyes would be like dealing with the devil. But that’s not all, as Babin and Suzanne were involved romantically back when they were young. She also, brings her son and daughter on board in positions in the company – something Robert would never have initiated.

Robert, Suzanne and Babin can be interpreted as devices to represent political and social symbols and the film deals with political and feminist issues as well as family values, to give the film a serious side.

Deneuve is superb as the woman rediscovering herself and Suzanne’s entrepreneurial endeavour and newfound confidence amongst the male-dominated business world is akin to a French Karen Brady. The chemistry between her and Depardieu – who is ever-watchable as the frustrated activist – is like watching two actors rediscovering themselves too.

There are notable performances from Luchini as the exasperatedly embittered Robert and Karin Viard as the mistress (secretary), who becomes inspired by Suzanne’s transformation from dusty housewife to role model businesswoman. There are a few surprises, some laugh-out-loud moments and an uplifting finale.

Here in 2011, where WAGs and their like do their best to undo all the good work done by feminists since the 70’s, this delightful nostalgic picture has the still-stunning-at-67 Deneuve showing women how to earn the respect of your peers, both male and female – and who better to inspire than Catherine Deneuve.

Potiche (15)
Directed by Francois Ozon
Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu, Fabrice Luchini, Karin Viard, Judith Godrèche, Jérémie Renier.
Running time: 103 minutes

Potiche is showing at the Rio Cinema until 23 June.