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The wives of prominent politicians are generally seen but not heard—remaining in the background unless expected to host a tea party or attend some other ceremonial event. But The President’s Wife follows the adventures of a First Lady who was set on being her own person.
The President’s Wife tells the partially-true story of Bernadette Chirac (Catherine Deneuve), wife of former French president Jacques Chirac (Michel Vuillermoz). After she helps her husband win the election in 1995, she believes that she’ll play an important part in his administration. Instead, she’s overlooked and left behind—treated like a clueless has-been. But instead of accepting her new role as the doting First Lady to an arrogant and self-absorbed President, she sets out to change her image and increase her visibility—much to the dismay of her husband and his advisors.
As her husband listens to the (often bad) advice of his trusted advisors, Bernadette decides to take her rightful place in the spotlight. After learning that the French people see her as crabby and outdated, she resolves to take control of her life and her standing in the public eye. She makes appearances and collaborates with celebrities (or at least those who agree with her husband’s politics) and gets help from famous designers to remake her image. And the transformation—along with her husband’s outraged response—is fun to watch.
As a church choir explains at the beginning of the film, this isn’t a completely true story. It’s a fictionalized biography—but for those of us who don’t know much about the characters and their story, it’s an introduction to a delightfully outspoken woman who was determined to step out of her husband’s shadow and shake off his disrespect to make a name for herself. This fictionalized Bernadette is strong-willed and no-nonsense and not always tactful. But she makes a plan and gets it done.
Of course, if you don’t know much about French politics of the late ‘90s and into the ‘00s, you may often feel lost—like you’re missing out on some of the finer points of the story. But while it can be messy and confusing at times, it’s also an entertaining look at the life of a woman who refused to fade into the woodwork.
Though some parts of the film may make more sense if you’re well-versed in French politics, you don’t really need to read up on the Chirac family before seeing this playful political satire. It’s simply a lighthearted and somewhat-true story of a woman who set out to be more than just the President’s wife.
You can follow in Bernadette’s footsteps when The President’s Wife arrives in theaters on April 18, 2025.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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