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Catherine Deneuve gracefully portrays Bernadette Chirac in a dull and uneventful drama based on true events. Despite its political subject matter, the film remains remarkably impartial. Deneuve’s character is the wife of Jacques Chirac, who served as both mayor of Paris and president of France from 1995 to 2007. He faced criticism from the far right, but also received negative attention in the US for his refusal to support the Iraq war and was later involved in corruption scandals.
The character of Bernadette, played by Deneuve, is portrayed as the proud and outspoken first lady of Chirac, exuding elegance in her Lagerfeld attire. Despite enduring her husband’s infidelities for a long time, she, along with the French media and public, seem to hardly notice them. This represents a sense of worldliness unique to the French, unlike the attitude seen in Britain or the United States. However, when Princess Diana tragically passes away in a car accident in Paris in 1997, and the president is absent during this crucial moment, he is eventually located in Italy by an emergency team with a distressed Bernadette by his side. In the room, they all hear an unidentified Italian woman speaking to “Giacomo” on speakerphone, informing him that someone wishes to speak with him. This particular incident, if it is even remotely accurate, could have been the inspiration for an entire film.
Michel Vuillermoz portrays Jacques Chirac as a meticulous and grumpy individual, strongly disapproving of Bernadette’s attempts to be of any significance or help to his administration. At one point, he even passes her a note while she is giving a speech, which reads: “Taisez-vous!” (translated to “Shut up!”). Vuillermoz does not showcase any of Chirac’s lively side and instead, with his aristocratic demeanor, he resembles former socialist leader François Mitterrand, whom they all despise. However, he eventually comes to admire Bernadette’s political instincts. Veteran actor Denis Podalydès gives an enjoyable and humorous performance as Bernard Niquet, the PR specialist brought in to improve Bernadette’s public image. Laurent Stocker plays Nicolas Sarkozy, the cunning and smooth politician whom both Chiracs are wary of.
The story moves along with little significance, similar to a daytime soap opera without a particular plot. The supposedly significant events hold little weight in terms of politics or emotions. Deneuve’s performance adds elegance and charisma to the film, but her slightly mysterious and baffled demeanor towards the foolishness she encounters is hard to interpret. It is a trait that works well in every scene, but it could just be Deneuve’s natural expression. Regardless, she portrays the first lady with ease and grace.
Source: theguardian.com
