PalCinema Review: The President's Wife

Catherine Deneuve stars in an entertaining film about former French First Lady Bernadette Chirac

Dan Pal

Apr 18, 2025

April 18, 2025

FILM: THE PRESIDENT’S WIFE

DIRECTED BY: LEA DOMENACH

STARRING: CATHERINE DENEUVE, DENIS PODALYDES, MICHEL VILLERMOZ

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

By Dan Pal

At the beginning of The President’s Wife, we learn from a chorus of singers that this is a loose adaptation of the story of Bernadette Chirac, the once First Lady of France. There are though stills and footage from the real Bernadette who supposedly wanted nothing to do with the film. So, it’s made clear, very clear, that this also a partial work of fiction. So, what is it? Well, director Lea Domenach has created an entertaining film that may play with facts but is also a tribute to a woman who wanted her due as the First Lady.

French icon Catherine Deneuve plays Bernadette in a performance that is heartfelt and relatable. Her story covered here begins in 1995 when her husband Jacques is elected president. It becomes obvious though that as much help as Bernadette may have given him to assist in his triumph, she is quickly relegated to the role of an inconsequential figure in his cabinet. He basically operates within an old boy’s club of advisers while she is kept outside of the loop. Her opinions are not given any credibility and she’s not taken seriously, being told “Don’t think out loud.”

When her husband is involved in an affair with an Italian actress, Bernadette wakes up. She decides she’s not going to stand still any longer. She’s given a PR person to help her with her image, which many consider to be old-fashioned. In true form, the film’s costume designer puts Deneuve in clothes that look like they belong in the 1950s or 60s. Polls show she’s considered “crabby” and “sour tempered.” To raise her profile, she’s guided to be seen with celebrities, such as a popular boy band. Essentially they try to make her into the next Princess Diana.

All of this is handled with a light almost comical tone. Whimsical music is played to underline that this is not to be taken seriously and it is pretty funny at times. Much of this has to do with the great skill of Deneuve who knows how to balance the line between comedy with a heartfelt, real-life presence. The film is all hers and she runs with it.

While the president, for comic effect, comes off as a bit of a buffoon, the film generally respects its characters. It also emphasizes the sometimes submissive role offered to women in high political positions. It’s not a coincidence that there is footage of Hillary Clinton interacting with Bernadette during the era being portrayed. At the time, Clinton played second fiddle to her husband, U.S. President Bill Clinton. We know that she would become a powerful figure in the Democratic Party and, like Bernadette, had to endure the embarrassment of her husband’s public infidelity.

Like Hillary Clinton, Bernadette grows and becomes more important in the political arena as the years go on. So, the film has something to say about women standing up and using their own skills to effect change.

There is a sub-plot here involving Chirac’s daughter Laurence who is dealing with her own private struggle with an eating disorder. It’s not developed much but becomes a tool to help Bernadette in her political endeavors. Given what director Domenach seems to going for here, taking this element of the story further would have changed what is a pretty consistent humorous tone for the film.

This isn’t the kind of film which requires a lot of background knowledge about France or its political system. Rather enjoyment can be had in watching Deneuve’s performance and following the curves her character takes throughout her triumphant story.

The President’s Wife opens in limited release today, including the Landmark at the Glen in Glenview, IL as Bernadette.

What do you think? Does the film interest you?

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