It is 1959, an era of sharp suits, smoke-filled offices and sexism. Desperate to escape the sleepy small town of her childhood (as well as her widowed father’s ambitions to marry her off to a local garage mechanic) pretty young Rose Pamphyle (Francois) applies for the post of secretary in a city insurance office, keenly aware that she’s not much good at anything else. In fact, it turns out she’s not much good as a secretary either, except in one key respect: she can type at an incredible speed.
Wary of embarking on an office romance with her, Rose’s handsome, middle-aged boss, Louis Echard (Duris), enters her into a national speed typing competition. But can Rose’s astonishing typing speed be maintained in a competition environment? And perhaps more importantly, can Louis get over his lingering feelings for his childhood sweetheart (now married to his American friend Bob) and articulate his true passion for his secretary Rose?
Although set slightly earlier (and in France), there’s more than a little of the feel of TV’s Mad Men about Populaire, but the film (which takes its name from a brand of typewriter Rose uses) has a charm all of its own. As the short promotional accompanying featurettes inform us, speed typing competitions were apparently a real thing and while the character of Louis’s natural stroppiness (as well as some overly Americanised subtitles such as “Gee Whizz and “Nowheresville) may irritate some, the combination of period authenticity and romantic ultimately add up to a winning formula.
Overall Verdict: A French rom com that presses all the right buttons.
Special Features:
To Begin With Featurette
The Love Story Featurette
The 50s Featurette
A Romantic and Sports Comedy Featurette
Typists Rule Featurette
Reviewer: Chris Hallam