Potiche

François Ozon delivers a fluffy, old-fashioned delight here that also gives the legendary Catherine Deneuve one of her best roles in years. Based on a French play by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Grédy, Potiche is about the liberation of a woman long controlled by a male power structure. Suzanne (Deneuve) is the elegant “trophy wife” of Robert (Fabrice Luchini), the primly dictatorial manager of the umbrella factory she inherited from her father. Set in 1977, the story kicks into gear when the workers go on strike to force Robert to accede to their demands for better conditions. When Robert confronts them in his usual imperious manner, they take him hostage, leading Suzanne to ask an old acquaintance, the communist mayor Babin (Gérard Depardieu), to intercede. And when Robert suffers a heart attack, Suzanne takes over his job while he recuperates, and proves to be a great success. She also brings her two children—a right-wing daughter and an artistically inclined son—into the business, gives responsibility to Robert's secretary/mistress, and attracts the romantic attention of Babin, with whom she once had a fling. Ozon conjures up further complications after Robert returns and tries to reclaim his position. With its first-rate cast and candy-colored visuals, the stylish and entertaining Potiche is a charmer. Recommended. (F. Swietek)