“Widow Clicquot” is one of those historical dramas with lush cinematography, brooding music and period costumes. It is the struggle of Barbe-Nicole-Ponsardin Clicquot (b1777 d1866) to navigate a struggling Champagne operation inherited from her husband François Clicquot into a successful business enterprise. François (Tom Sturridge) was an innovator with revolutionary ideas which largely failed. A poor grape harvest the year prior to Widow Clicquot’s inheritance put her in a struggling financial position.
Despite rampant sexism, treachery, war and a lack of funds through her determination, hard work including working in the vineyards, innovation, experimentation, love and understanding of the concept of terroir, adhering to her vision, taking advice from men on a selective basis she revolutionized the production of Champagne with her methods still in use today. She had guts too!
The flashbacks in the film of her time with François lay the foundation for her innovative techniques and a drive to continue the experimentation initiated by François. Her dogged determination was not so much based on the desire by financial success but the honouring of her late husband.
Haley Bennett as Widow Clicquot and Sam Riley as Louis Bohne her distributor are standouts.
Being somewhat involved in the wine trade there were several aha moments for me that may be lost on the average viewer but in no way detracting from the quality of the film. Of course, the actors are all British for a truly French story has the flavour of a 1950’s American war movie, you know where the Germans are speaking with an American accent.
Directed by Thomas Napper.
Canadian theatrical release 19July2024.
You can see the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOFBDabjZt0
RKS 2024 Film Rating 87/100.
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