Colette (2018)

December 11, 2018 10:04 AM

After marrying a successful Parisian writer known commonly as Willy, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendor of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him. She pens a semi-autobiographical novel about a witty and brazen country girl named Claudine, sparking a bestseller and a cultural sensation. After its success, Colette and Willy become the talk of Paris and their adventures inspire additional Claudine novels.
posted by jouke (9 comments total)

As a zaftig person it was disappointing that Keira Knightley (who I like just fine) was cast in the role. I mean, we have stunners cast as Jane Eyre and a stick-thin actress as Colette. Can't we plain, chubby girls have anything?
posted by orrnyereg at 10:37 AM on December 11, 2018 [6 favorites]

I have to say I liked the fin de siecle atmosphere. The jewel encrusted tortoise at the decadent party they visit reminded me of A rebours and Brideshead Revisited.
The acting by Dominic West and Keira Knightley is very good.
posted by jouke at 11:34 AM on December 13, 2018

For some reason I was under the impression that her husband gets credit for her work. Is that incorrect (I hope!)?
posted by Emmy Rae at 5:20 PM on December 13, 2018

That's how it starts. But she fights to get recognition and she does get it. She was elected to the Academie Goncourt for instance.
posted by jouke at 8:49 AM on December 14, 2018 [2 favorites]

I would have thought this movie would have gotten more metafilter response.
After all it's about a woman fighting for her autonomy and self expression in a male dominated time, being in an open relationship, defying gender norms, being bisexual, when older having much younger male lovers...
posted by jouke at 9:40 AM on December 14, 2018 [2 favorites]

Also: here's a random weblog article on her.

Finally: I received a gift from a very well read mefi friend: The Delights of Growing Old by Maurice Goudeket. At the end of Colettes life Goudeket, 16 yrs her junior, was her partner and he took care of her in her inform old age. But for me the main delight was quite apart from Colette: Goudekets book is really well written!
posted by jouke at 11:45 AM on December 14, 2018

The Guardian on Colette
posted by jouke at 5:01 AM on January 9, 2019

I missed the main theatrical run of this but caught it at an indie cinema last night.
A queer costume drama is an extremely, extremely easy sell for me, so I definitely enjoyed myself. Still, I wanted more.

The writing was clumsy in too many places. A little too much telling-not-showing. The chemistry wasn't there (every scene with the Louisianan woman made me cringe). And the score was painfully un-subtle in any dramatic scene.

Colette had such an interesting life, and just as much or more success post-Willy, and I'm grateful that I know at least a little bit more about her (and Missy!!) because of this film. And it sure was beautiful to look at, and I hope to see more films like it.

In fact, seeing this made me want to go watch Professor Marston and the Wonder Women again.
posted by Gordafarin at 4:34 AM on March 29, 2019

This movie was right up my alley. I like biopics, and the Edwardian era is one of my favourite time periods for fiction/movies. It was also interesting to watch Colette's genesis as a writer, and the script and the acting were quite good.
posted by orange swan at 8:00 AM on April 29, 2019 [2 favorites]