Catherine Deneuve: An Evening with Two Titans – Guide, Review, and Why We Love Her
There are those nights on TV when you’re flicking through the guide and you just know: this is something you can’t miss. Tonight is one of those nights. Arte is showing “Sage Femme – The Parisian Midwife”, and if you ask me, this is so much more than just a film. It’s a masterclass in acting, delivered by two absolute titans: Catherine Deneuve and Catherine Frot.
A guide to the perfect movie night at home
Before you sink into the couch, here’s a quick how-to – my personal Catherine Deneuve guide, if you will. Deneuve plays Béatrice, a former actress with a certain… let’s call it “zest for life”, who bursts back into the life of Claire (Catherine Frot) by a roundabout route. Claire is a midwife – sage femme in French – living a quiet, orderly life. That’s exactly what gets turned upside down. The beauty of this film is that it’s like a good Bordeaux: it needs a little time to open up, but once it does, the flavour will linger with you.
Review: When two queens enter the room
Let’s cut to the chase: a Catherine Deneuve review at this point doesn’t really need to recap her career. We all know who she is. But here, as Béatrice, she shows a side we rarely get to see. She’s fragile, manipulative, irresistible, and utterly vulnerable – sometimes all in the same scene. And then there’s Catherine Frot. If Deneuve is the fireworks, Frot is the solid ground they explode over. The chemistry between them isn’t acting; it’s pure instinct.
- The direction: Martin Provost directs this story about women, for women, without ever tipping into sentimentality. There are scenes that land like a perfect rally on a tennis court.
- The authenticity: Did you know the birth scenes couldn’t be filmed in France? Word is that French hospitals weren’t available for such realistic shooting. The team had to go to Belgium instead. You’d never guess it from the final product – if anything, it gives the film a gritty, determined edge that suits the theme perfectly.
- The takeaway: It’s about letting go, finding your place, and the question of whether we always have to be responsible for others, or if it’s okay to be a little selfish sometimes.
How to watch Catherine Deneuve – a user’s guide
The question of how to watch Catherine Deneuve might be, for the Netflix generation: where do I start? If you’re new to Deneuve, “Sage Femme” is actually the perfect entry point. Here, she’s not the aloof ice queen of the 60s, but a woman you want to hug, even when you also want to shake her. Think of it as an invitation: let yourself get lost in these two hours. Treat yourself to the French charm, the quiet drama, and two women playing off each other like there’s no tomorrow. And if, after the night, you’re itching to see more – perfect. Then the evening’s done its job. So, get your program sorted, maybe pour yourself a glass of Crémant, and simply enjoy. This is French cinema at its finest.