Must admit that French comedy normally leaves me feeling a bit 'meh' but I was drawn to this Catherine Deneuve/Gerard Depardieu vehicle because underneath the humour and the very kitsch 70s setting there was an interesting history lesson.
Deneuve is the 'potiche' or trophy wife of the title - Suzanne Pujol - although this being the 70s it doesn't mean spoilt in the way it does today, it means stay at home wife who's husband views her as nothing more than a home-maker.
The husband in question, Robert (Fabrice Luchini), owns the local umbrella factory and runs it with an iron fist and disregard to the workers conditions, and as a result strikes are frequent. He's also having an affair with his secretary.
When Robert is taken hostage by the workers Suzanne is forced to call on the help of her former lover and now left-wing politician Maurice Babin (Depardieu). The shock of the kidnap sends Robert to his sick bed and Suzanne to the head of the table in the boardroom. With the help of Babin, she succeeds in winning over the workers and everything begins to runs smoothly.
And it is a real joy to watch. Deneuve proves at 67 that she has still got charm and sex-appeal by the bagful and for all the kitsch, frothiness there are plenty of nods to the real issues of the day. The way the men behave and talk to the woman serves as a stark reminder of what has changed and what hasn't.
It put a real smile on my face and I'm giving it 79%. IMDb has given it 6.8/10 and Rotten Tomatoes UK doesn't have a consensus yet.
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