How to Be a Good Wife
La Bonne Épouse
Paulette Van Der Beck and her husband have been running the housekeeping school of Bitche in Alsace for many years. Their mission is to train teenage girls to become the perfect housewives at a time when women were expected to be subservient to their husband. After the sudden death of her husband, Paulette discovers that the school is on the verge of bankruptcy and has to take her responsibilities. But while preparations are underway for the best housekeeping competition TV show, she and her lively students start questioning their beliefs as the nation-wide protests of May 1968 transform society around them. Reunited with her first love, André, and with the help of her eccentric stepsister Gilberte and strict nun Marie-Therese, Paulette joins forces with the schoolgirls to overcome their suppressed status and become liberated women.
Production Countries
Production Companies
Cast
Juliette Binoche
as Paulette Van Der Beck
Yolande Moreau
as Gilberte Van der Beck
Noémie Lvovsky
as Marie-Therese
Édouard Baer
as André Grunvald
François Berléand
as Robert Van der Beck
Marie Zabukovec
as Annie Fuchs
Anamaria Vartolomei
as Albane Des-deux-Ponts
Lily Taïeb
as Yvette Ziegler
Pauline Briand
as Corinne Schwartz
Armelle
as Christiane Rougemont
Marine Berlanger
as Residential school student
Clémence Blondeau
as Residential school student
Marie Cornillon
as Marie-Jo Lorentz
Lauren Deguitre
as Residential school student
Clémentine Delange
as Residential school student
Juliet Doucet
as Residential school student
Marie-Anne Guilbert
as Residential school student
Blandine Laignel
as Residential school student
Andréa Mands
as Residential school student
Julien Sibre
as The “bonjour madame” assistant
Stéphane Bissot
as Raymonde
Dominique Pozzetto
as The priest
Philippe Morand
as Mr. Schmitt
Cécile Dominjon
as Birgit, the waitress at Mado
Stéphane Hausauer
as Mr. Frantz, the waiter at Mado
François Hauteserre
as The motorist in the traffic jam
Cécile Ribault-Caillol
as Ménie Grégoire (voice)
Alex Dey
as Gaëtan
Lucas Bleger
as The bistro customer
Perrine Avisse
as The makeup artist
Crew
Guillaume Schiffman
Director of Photography
Serge Hayat
Producer
Grégoire Hetzel
Original Music Composer
Brigitte Moidon
Casting
Marie-France Michel
Casting
Madeline Fontaine
Costume Design
Emmanuel Croset
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Brigitte Taillandier
Sound Mixer
Adrian Politowski
Executive Producer
Virginie Berland
Wigmaker
Philippe van Leer
Foley Artist
Martin Provost
Director
François Kraus
Producer
Denis Pineau-Valencienne
Producer
Martin Provost
Writer
Séverine Werba
Writer