I wasn’t intending to see Colette just yet. Not that I didn’t expect it to be any good but the sheer number of films released in the early part of the year means it is impossible to see everything whilst holding down a job and staying married!! But when the heating broke down in the screen showing Beautiful Boy, I took the next best option…. Keira Knightley plays the title role.
A country girl who moves to 1890s Paris to marry author, Willy (Dominic West). When Willy discovers her writing talent, he persuades her to write books in his name and her Claudine series become hugely successful with a craze for the title character sweeping the nation. Consequently Colette wants recognition of her own, as she also discovers her unexpected sexual desires.
The film starts off like so many other period dramas you have seen. The costumes and production design are immaculate, the French countryside looks beautiful and it moves at a stately pace. I assume that was a deliberate juxtaposition to the bustling city and the carefree, sexually amoral lives many seem to live there. However, despite the subject matter, for the most part, the movie never really came to life for me.
Sure, the performances are all fine, and Knightley is excellent, but the story seemed dragged-out and I wasn’t surprised by the plot turns at any point. There are some things to recommend. How the book publishers took every opportunity to produce Claudine related merchandise including soap and cigarettes, just like they would these days with a superhero character and fast food outlets, was eye-opening. There is also one standout sequence as Willy and Colette carry on separate affairs with the same woman.
Ultimately though, this is well-staged and acted but quite plodding. I think I would have preferred to wrap up in a coat and gloves and see Beautiful Boy after all!
Rating: 6 out of 10