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
Trailers & Videos
Cast
Armelle
as Christiane Rougemont
Blandine Laignel
as Residential school student
Philippe Morand
as Mr. Schmitt
Marine Berlanger
as Residential school student
Cécile Ribault-Caillol
as Ménie Grégoire (voice)
François Berléand
as Robert Van der Beck
Marie Zabukovec
as Annie Fuchs
Lauren Deguitre
as Residential school student
Juliet Doucet
as Residential school student
Marie-Anne Guilbert
as Residential school student
Noémie Lvovsky
as Marie-Therese
Pauline Briand
as Corinne Schwartz
Clémentine Delange
as Residential school student
Andréa Mands
as Residential school student
François Hauteserre
as The motorist in the traffic jam
Marie Cornillon
as Marie-Jo Lorentz
Juliette Binoche
as Paulette Van Der Beck
Yolande Moreau
as Gilberte Van der Beck
Anamaria Vartolomei
as Albane Des-deux-Ponts
Julien Sibre
as The “bonjour madame” assistant
Dominique Pozzetto
as The priest
Cécile Dominjon
as Birgit, the waitress at Mado
Stéphane Hausauer
as Mr. Frantz, the waiter at Mado
Lily Taïeb
as Yvette Ziegler
Alex Dey
as Gaëtan
Lucas Bleger
as The bistro customer
Perrine Avisse
as The makeup artist
Édouard Baer
as André Grunvald
Clémence Blondeau
as Residential school student
Stéphane Bissot
as Raymonde
Crew
Martin Provost
Director, Writer
Serge Hayat
Producer
Madeline Fontaine
Costume Design
Virginie Berland
Wigmaker
Brigitte Moidon
Casting
Denis Pineau-Valencienne
Producer
Guillaume Schiffman
Director of Photography
Grégoire Hetzel
Original Music Composer
Adrian Politowski
Executive Producer
Philippe van Leer
Foley Artist
Marie-France Michel
Casting
Emmanuel Croset
Sound Re-Recording Mixer
Brigitte Taillandier
Sound Mixer
Séverine Werba
Writer
François Kraus
Producer