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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

‘Potiche’ rich in characters, plot

Kenneth Turan Los Angeles Times

“Potiche” is a glossy throwback made with a modern eye, an old-fashioned romantic fantasy starring Catherine Deneuve and Gerard Depardieu that’s been knowingly updated with tart, contemporary touches.

The updater is Francois Ozon, who’s been down this road before. Though the French writer-director is mostly known for such serious dramas as “Swimming Pool” and “Time to Leave,” he did another glossy confection, “8 Women,” which also starred Deneuve.

Ozon has freely adapted a 1980 play by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Gredy (whose work also inspired the Goldie Hawn-starring “Cactus Flower”), keeping the silliness of the plot but expanding on it and conveying everything in an arch, high-style way that provides a showcase for the film’s two stars.

Deneuve plays the matronly Suzanne Pujol, introduced circa 1977 in a flame-red exercise suit, her hair in curlers as she serenely jogs through the forest outside a provincial French town.

Suzanne is the “potiche,” or trophy wife, of the title. Content because she’s decided to be happy, she needs every bit of her placid and unflappable exterior to survive her marriage to Robert (Fabrice Luchini), the always- apoplectic owner of an umbrella factory who is sleeping with his secretary (Karin Viard) but still makes time to have a bad word for everyone.

This couple’s two children are as different as their parents. Conservative daughter Joelle (Judith Godreche) dreads ending up like her mother even as she fears that her own marriage is breaking up, while her brother, Paul (Jeremie Renier), is interested in art, not umbrellas.

Then aggrieved workers, incensed at Robert’s perpetual arrogance, not only go on strike but take the obstreperous owner hostage. One thing leads farcically to another and soon it’s apparent that Suzanne is going to have to run the factory.

Though no one knows it but the audience, she also benefits from her relationship with old beau Maurice Babin (Depardieu), a fiery communist who is the town’s mayor as well as its member of Parliament.

All kinds of loopy plot twists and turns constantly remake and redefine the relationships among these characters.

While keeping everything light and frothy, Ozon has also laced “Potiche” with persistent references to issues of gender and economic equality.

Helping to keep this ship from keeling over is the great professionalism and light touch of Deneuve and Depardieu. Co-stars numerous times, they go together as comfortably as an old pair of gloves.

“Potiche” very much counts on this, and it has not miscalculated.

“Potiche” is playing at the Magic Lantern Theatre.