POTICHE – The Review

This brand new adaptation of a 1970’s French stage farce reminded me of something else the French are known for: desserts, namely pastry.  They’re not too sugary, light, fluffy, and usually very tasty. Well, POTICHE (French for trophy wife) is the same delightful treat. In this film the dollop of cream on top would be the casting of two iconic French film stars in lead roles.

The year is 1977-Springtime to be exact. Suzanne Pujol (Catherine Deneuve) is blithely content in her privileged life. She inherited a successful umbrella factory from her late father. Her husband Robert runs the business with an iron fist (while canoodling with his executive secretary Nadege). Robert and Suzanne have two grown children-Joelle, ultra conservative wife to a constantly traveling businessman and mother of two young boys and Laurent a very liberal art student engaged to a frequently absent local woman. Soon after being released by striking factory workers who held him hostage, Robert is stricken with a heart “episode.” Upon the strong recommendation of the family physician, Robert must take a sabbatical from work. Perhaps a vacation cruise will do the trick. But who’ll will make sure the umbrellas are made? Suzanne will return to the work force! First she must charm the worker representatives.To do this, she consults with the Mayor, Maurice (Gerard Depardieu), who had enjoyed a passionate fling with her twenty five years ago. With the labor disputes settled Suzanne calls on her two children to help, Joelle in management and Laurent in creative designs. Things are going swimmingly until Robert returns. He’s horrified at the changes she has made. Now, that he’s regained his health the business must be put back on track. But, Suzanne doesn’t wish to hand over the reins. What will happen as the two fight over control of the family factory? Who will the kids side with? And will she rekindle her passion for Maurice?

Although the movie’s set in the late 70’s it owes quite a bit to the bright Technicolor farces of the 60’s (especially those frothy Doris Day flicks). Except Ms. Day never had a past as lusty as Suzanne’s. In the title role Deneuve is absolutely radiant, full of sly looks and double takes. Her character’s charm and beauty are used to obscure the intelligence and savvy. She’s a calm contrast to her blustering hubby and direction-less children. Depardieu’s Maurice is a lumbering bull of a bureaucrat until he’s reminded of the passion he shared with Suzanne. He begins to act like a man half his age especially when he suspects that he fathered a child during that fling. The hairstyles and fashions from thirty four years ago are faithfully reproduced along with the music. There’s a big dance sequence when Maurice takes Suzanne to a local disco. For all the lovers of classic films, it was a great treat seeing Deneuve surrounded by brightly colored umbrellas reminding  us of 1964’s THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG. She even gets a solo song near the end. If you’re looking for a light cinematic treat, then POTICHE maybe be the movie dessert you’re craving.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars