Catherine Deneuve shines in ‘The President’s Wife,’ a witty political satire that reimagines the life of Bernadette Chirac, France’s most captivating First Lady.
The Story of an Extraordinary Woman, Played by an Extraordinary Catherine Deneuve
Catherine Deneuve doesn’t just play Bernadette Chirac in ‘The President’s Wife’—she rewrites the part history forgot.
Catherine Deneuve is a renowned French actress born on October 22, 1943.
With a career spanning over six decades, she has appeared in more than 120 films.
Known for her versatility and range, Deneuve has worked with iconic directors like François Truffaut and Roman Polanski.
She has won numerous awards, including the César Award for Best Actress and the Honorary César.
Deneuve's filmography includes 'Belle de Jour, ' 'The Hunger,' and 'Indochine.' Her contributions to French cinema have been recognized globally.
At 81, Catherine Deneuve might have gained a bit of the dreaded matronly demeanor that comes with maturity, but in my opinion, she’s more beautiful than ever. Her latest film, ‘The President’s Wife,’ proves it. What a life. She’s worked with most of the great directors from Roman Polanski to Luis Bunuel and Francois Truffaut, had children by Marcello Mastroianni and Roger Vadim, and easily earned the reputation as France’s greatest living star.
As the most coveted Gallic export since Dom Perignon, she gets better with age and shows no signs of slowing down. She has worked tirelessly to maintain her status as a beloved actress in French cinema, consistently delivering outstanding performances that leave audiences captivated.
The Story Behind Bernadette Chirac
In ‘The President’s Wife,’ another of those cinematic adventures about the woman behind the man and the power behind the throne—this time, Bernadette Chirac, the clever, charismatic and newsworthy wife of French president Jacques Chirac—she is simply fabulous. Writer-director Léa Domenach is no Truffaut, but she has managed to embroider a witty political satire more interested in moments of whimsical charm than any patent examination of an ambitious supporting player on the sidelines of a toxic marriage.
Bernadette had already endured years of scandal and abuse when her husband was elected President of France in 1995. Desperate to share his success equally, she moved into the presidential Elysee Palace, hoping to play her new role as First Lady with vigor. Instead, he all but relegated her to oblivion.
Bernadette Chirac is the wife of former French President Jacques Chirac.
Born on May 18, 1936, she has been a devoted philanthropist and advocate for various social causes.
Chirac supports organizations focused on education, healthcare, and environmental conservation.
She has also worked to promote cultural exchange programs between France and other countries.
With her husband's presidency, Bernadette Chirac was involved in numerous high-profile events and charitable initiatives.
Bernadette’s Rise to Power
Appeasing the press amid growing inquisitions about Chirac’s alleged affairs and indiscretions without endangering his dumb political position further, Bernadette hired a PR man to improve her image, conducting a survey at her husband’s own expense that revealed them both as austere, crabby has-beens. She swung into action, hell-bent on reinventing herself, using the late Princess Diana as a model of charm and grace under pressure, and latching onto Hillary Clinton‘s trials and tribulations as examples of what an intelligent woman must endure to survive the negativity of fame.
The results were astounding. Turned into a fashion muse by couturier Karl Lagerfeld and coached to say all the right things on every occasion, she became a media sensation, a glamorous cover girl, and a political powerhouse among voters—a cross between Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Eva Peron, like it or not. Chirac was forced to acknowledge his neglected wife as his strongest ally in his re-election and a major influence in the polls.
Jacques Chirac was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007.
Born on November 29, 1932, in Paris, he began his career in politics at a young age, serving as Mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995.
Chirac later became Prime Minister of France from 1986 to 1988 and again from 1995 to 1997.
He was known for his conservative policies and his opposition to the European Constitution.
Chirac passed away on September 26, 2019, at the age of 86.
The Enduring Legacy of Bernadette Chirac
Standing by his side from 1995 to 2007, Bernadette nursed her husband back to health after a stroke, and even after his presidency terminated, she never gave up her grip on the power she created. In the end, to his horror, he watched her on television, standing arm in arm with her newest conquest—Nicolas Sarkozy, the man who had been his worst enemy and political rival for decades!
As a director, Domenach wisely avoids the mistake of too much interference. She gives you the facts in an outline, then sits back and leaves it up to her star to do the rest. It’s Catherine Deneuve’s movie from beginning to final frame, and she dominates every scene with a gorgeous and contagious charisma that is bewildering.
As for her acting, she plays every conflicting character revelation without a hair out of place. Staring straight ahead or tilting her blonde coif slightly from right to left, she can epitomize the look of disapproval or dismay without a single spoken word. Interjecting opinions, battling two adult daughters, offering valid political suggestions, generally interfering with official government strategy, or just standing in center-screen position with hypnotic rapture, she is, in ‘The President’s Wife,’ one of the year’s most compelling triumphs.
