HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE/ LA BONNE EPOUSE

France, 2020, 109 minutes, Colour.
Juliet Binoche, Yolande Moreau, Noemie Lvovsky, Eduard Baer, François Berleand.
Directed by Martin Provost.

It isn’t always easy to be on the wavelength of the sense of humour of a particular culture. There is something about French culture and humour that is different from the rest of the world. And this may be the case with this ironically titled comedy-drama about what it was like to be a good wife in the past.

Actually, the past is not so long ago, just over 50 years for this scenario. The setting is a country town in the mountains of Alsace, remote from the revolutionary movements that were taking place, for instance, with the students at the Sorbonne in Paris, threatening the government of war hero, General Charles de Gaulle. The particular setting is a country town with a school for young ladies, 15 girls in their mid-teens, boarding in a dormitory, going to classes to learn the pillars of being a good wife, which are a recipe for being subservient to husband, overlooking all his weaknesses, being forgiving, totally at his disposal. They have classes on etiquette, on the precision of ironing husband’s shirts, and the practicalities of home and domestic life.

Younger audiences may be shocked at this portrait (heightened, we hope) which seems so alien and antiquated, at least to contemporary western ways. But, of course, that is the point.

There are three members of staff for the school. Juliette Binoche portrays Paulette, whose husband, Robert, founded the school (and who supervises but with an ogling eye). Paulette is very prim, proper, believes in what she is teaching. Then there is the husband’s sister, Gilberte (Yolande Moreau), getting older, fussy, awkward. And, there is a strange nun (no explanation of where she comes from or her religious order), Marie- Therese (Noemie Lvovsky), who was in the resistance during the war and has absorbed that kind of discipline. Prim but oddball goings-on.

Of course, there are the usual problems, especially from the 60s, sexual awakening, sexual orientation, permissiveness and the pill…

However, this is a film, of course, about Housewife Liberation. Paulette, on the death of her husband, discovers a new way of life with the banker whom she knew decades earlier. Life is not as prim as she believed. Then the school wins the competition (with a parody television show about the school and its success) and it is off to Paris as a prize.

But, the busload of girls and teachers is on its way to a Paris where the students are in revolt. Roadblocks and police. But this leads to a musical number and some odd choreography where Paulette leads the girls along the road to Paris, proclaiming their liberation.

While we agree in principle, the story and treatment is a matter of taste!

1. The title? Expectations? Ironies? Transitions in attitudes from the 1960s to the present?

2. Alsace, the town, the school, the streets, offices, the surrounding countryside, highways, forests, mountains? The musical score?

3. The tone of the film? The message about women’s liberation? Housewife’s liberation?

4. The realism of the film, stylised with the touch of fantasy and storytelling from memories?

5. The School, for young ladies, the number of students, the headmistress, the assistant, the nun, the age of the girls, living in, the dormitory?

6. The rules for the school, the pillars of how to be a good wife? Audience awareness of how these were the pillars of the past, their being upended, transitions to the modern period? The satirical touch in their presentations, especially in the lecture by the headmistress to the girls? The nitpicking application by the staff? The ironic details of being attractive to the husband, submission to him, making allowances for him and his drinking, details of ironing, decorating the house…?

7. Juliette Binoche as Paulette, as principal, taking herself seriously, the foundation of the school with her husband, her relationship to him, his death, his debts, the revelation of her relationship with Andre, his foregoing the debts? The running of the school, interactions with the students, strict discipline, calling them by surname? Her classes? Her fondness for her husband, their scenes together, his death? Her grief, going with Gilbert to the cemetery?

8. Robert, age, almost 25 years married, his relationship with Paulette, his presence in school, his ogling the girls, his collapse, death, the funeral? Going through his things? Discovering the ledger, his gambling, his debts, four mortgages? The discovering of the sex magazines?

9. Gilberte as Robert’s sister, age, ungainly, eccentric? Her role in the school, subservient to Paulette? Working with the girls? The reaction to her brother’s death? Going to visit Andre? Thinking he was attentive to her, falling in love? Trying to tell Paulette, interruption? Her discovery of the truth about Paulette? Getting the scissors, the irony of cutting her hair, putting on better clothes, going on the expedition to Paris?

10. Marie- Therese, the nun, her habit, veil, discipline, old style nun? The silhouette in the dormitory and the girls laughing? Smoking? The discipline with the girls, believing all the pillars for being a good wife, application, the ironing and other lessons? Her reaction to Paulette, the superstitions, the cross for the redheaded girl? Catching the girl on her return from her rendezvous, the gun, the rules, the background in the Resistance, the discussion with Paulette, resigning, Paulette not accepting it?

11. The girls, their age, relaxing, listening to the radio, knowledge and ignorance about sexuality, the conversations? The girls and the lesbian awakening? The girl with the date on the hill and her return?

12. The inclusion of comic touches, Paulette and the driving the car, almost crashing, changing gears? Marie Therese and her driving? The bus and the going to Paris?

13. The television program, the compere, the success of the school, the awkwardness of the students, the commentary, going to the kitchen, Gilberte and her being tongue-tied, rehearsing? The winning of the prize, the washing machine, Paris?

14. Paulette and her relationship with Andre, the revelation, the story of the past, the war, his disappearance, marriage and family, her marrying, the school? The resumption of the relationship? The messages, her going to meet him in the countryside, the lyrical romance? At the hotel, the proposal? The phone call during the television show?

15. Andre, Paulette secluded, climbing the drainpipe, the rope and the rescue? Paulette changing her mind, the drive to Paris?

16. 1968, the Sorbonne and the students, uprising, against De Gaulle? The news about entry to the city, Paulette and the staff, the girls, marching, singing – and housewife’s liberation?s