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| Poster artwork for the French comedy drama film Potiche. |
Gender
Games by Linh
Potiche is
roughly translated in English from French as “trophy wife”, but is literally a
decorative ornament that serves little purpose than to look attractive and be
“handled” in any manner by its owner. That’s how Catherine Deneuve’s character
is initially portrayed in the film until she is “given power” in a moment of
crisis by desperate men. Director François Ozon adapted the film from a French
play by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Grédys.
The film is set in Paris between 1977 and 1978, at a time
when women’s liberation was beginning to take off across Europe, where a
wealthy manager Robert Pujol (Fabrice Luchini) is dealing with union strikes as
workers demand better pay and working conditions at the family’s umbrella
factory. His wife of 30 years, Suzanne (Catherine Deneuve) dutifully runs the
house without “running the house”. All
the household chores are done by the hired housemaid, leaving Suzanne free to
exercise, potter around the garden or write poetry. Suzanne considers herself a
happy housewife until her daughter Joelle (Judith Godréche) mocks her for being
too submissive and nothing but a trophy wife.
While Robert is confronting the
strikers at the factory he becomes injured and bedridden. Local Mayor Maurice
Babin (Gérard Depardieu) steps in to negotiate with the workers but the
protesting becomes intense and Robert suffers a minor heart attack, forcing him
to step down from his job. After a brief and rushed discussion, Maurice and
Robert urge Suzanne to take Robert’s place and continue negotiations with the
workers’ union. Suzanne reluctantly agrees
and eventually she takes her powers of persuasion from the managers’ office to
political office.
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HAPPY
HOUSEWIFE: Suzanne (Catherine Deneuve) is seemingly contented as a
housewife to husband Robert (Fabrice Luchini) in the film Potiche. Image: Mandarin Films.
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Deneuve (On My Way, Three Hearts) is excellent as the star of the film and its
protagonist Suzanne, who appears unflappable, sophisticated and so reasonable
at all times. Deneuve cleverly makes Suzanne appear as the same mild-mannered
and calm woman throughout the film, despite her changes in circumstances from
housewife to factory manager. This
consistency enables the viewer to continue to trust Suzanne’s intentions and
not doubt her motives. Deneuve’s intentions may be to highlight Suzanne’s
innate qualities as a moderator and strong negotiator through years as a mother
of two very politically passionate adults and an unfaithful husband. Suzanne is
a woman who “gets the job done” based on her merits and not her sexual
activities (and there have been many).
From the beginning, she refuses to apologise for being a woman when
confronting a roomful of male unionists and factory workers. Suzanne has
secrets of her own that threaten to unravel and ruin the lives of those
involved.
Gérard Depardieu (Rasputin, Welcome To New York) has graced cinema screens worldwide in
French and English language films for many years, and brings his goofy charm to
the role of Mayor Maurice Babin in Potiche.
Maurice, who was Suzanne’s former secret lover and is still in love with her,
is a left-wing revolutionist fighting for workers’ rights. He gets a shock, yet
remains jovial, when he hears his brief romance with Suzanne in their youth may
have harmful repercussions to his political career.
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FACTORY
FURORE: Joelle (Judith Godréche), Suzanne (Catherine Deneuve)
and Ms. Nadége (Karin Viard) attend to Laurent (Jérémie Rénier) after he fails
to appease the protesting factory workers in the film Potiche. Images: Mandarin Films.
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Fabrice Luchini (In
The House, Cycling With Moliere) is
one of France’s leading versatile actors in comedy and dramatic productions.
While Deneuve shines on the screen, he reflects her to become an equally
luminous performer in their shared scenes. Luchini is delightfully seductive as
philanderer Robert, yet becomes the antagonist as husband to Suzanne and
manager of the umbrella factory. His nasty conservative and sexist approach
towards women at home and at work quickly loses him respect among the film’s
womenfolk and may even lose him the job of factory manager.
The supporting cast does a tremendous job in keeping the
narrative flowing, including Karin Viard as Ms. Nadége, Robert’s secretary at
the umbrella factory, who discovers she can do more than be a sexual distraction;
Judith Godréche is convincing as Joelle,
Robert and Suzanne’s conservative daughter, who wants to be empowered like her
mother and powerful like her father; and Jérémie Rénier gives a solid
performance as Laurent, Robert and Suzanne’s left-wing son, who expresses his
liberal activism through art and design. Like his mother, he is diplomatic and
his sexuality is in question despite having a girlfriend he wants to marry.
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AMOROUS
ALLIES: Maurice (Gérard Depardieu) is willing to work with
Suzanne (Catherine Deneuve) to improve workers' pay and conditions at the
factory in the film Potiche. Images:
Mandarin Films.
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Potiche
depicts the double standards, similarities and hypocrisies of men and women at
home and in the workplace. The characters in the film have flaws, ambiguous
natures and past secrets that can undo the hard work spent making their lives
respectable and comfortable. The most obvious themes are gender equality,
politics and infidelity. The comedy in the film makes light of the topics but
still addresses their presence through characterisation, in giving women
opportunities to shine in bed or in the boardroom and the men who support or
undermine moves to get women out of the house and into the workforce.
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DIRTY
DEEDS: Robert (Fabrice Luchini) attempts to blackmail Maurice
(Gérard Depardieu) in order to get his job back at the factory in the film Potiche. Image: Mandarin Films.
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The film depicts female solidarity and sisterhood when
Suzanne appoints Ms. Nadége as her personal assistant despite knowing her
husband was having sexual relations with Ms Nadége. The reverse is shown for
men who are competitive and keen to stay in power, such as the pivotal scene
where Robert attempts to blackmail Maurice using his past. The details divulged
in this scene reveal the hypocrisy of men and women who cheat on their
husbands/wives/lovers. It also shows how sexual activity is often used to scandalise
those in politics and sully their reputation.
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WOMEN'S
WOES: Suzanne (Catherine Deneuve) and her daughter Joelle
(Judith Godréche) reflect on the challenges of juggling family and work in the
film Potiche. Image: Mandarin Films.
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Potiche is
a clever comedy about sexual politics at home and at work, where women and men
are more alike than they think. It depicts the ramifications of women’s
liberation on family and work, while mostly positive changes occur, the changes
may not be favourable for some. This film is a worthwhile trip down memory lane
for lovers of 1970s fashion for women and men, or simply for the brilliant
performances from Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu and Fabrice Luchini.
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LIBERATED
LADY: Suzanne (Catherine Deneuve) is enjoying her role as
factory manager too much to hand over the reins to her husband Robert (Fabrice
Luchini) in the film Potiche. Image:
Mandarin Films.
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Director:
François Ozon
Writers:
François Ozon (screen adaptation), Jean-Pierre Grédys (play) and Pierre
Barillet (play)
Cast:
Catherine Deneuve, Gérard Depardieu, Fabrice Luchini. Karin Viard, Judith
Godréche, Jérémie Rénier, Pierre Barillet, Christine Desodt, Évelyne Dandry,
Sergi López, Bruno Lochet
Producers:
Eric Altmayer, Genevieve Lemal, Nicolas Altmayer
Cinematographer:
Yorick Le Saux
Original
Music Composer: Philippe Rombit
Film
Editor: Laure Gardet
Production
Designer: Katia Wyszkop
Costume
Designer: Pascaline Chavanne
Language:
French with English subtitles
Running
Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes
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