Three powerhouses of French Cinema: Francois Ozon, Catherine Deneuve, and Gérard Depardieu combine their talents in this delightfully frothy battle of the sexes and classes.

Deneuve reteams with Ozon in another campy comedy reminiscent of their international hit 8 Women. Here, she depicts Suzanne Pujol, the "potiche" (slang for "trophy wife") of a French umbrella factory owner, a tyrannically petty provincial, When Monsieur Pujol's workers go on strike and he suffers a heart attack from the stress, Madame Pujol surprises everyone by assuming command and proves to be a more popular and effective leader than her husband ever was. The town mayor and union leader (Gerard Depardieu) proves an unexpected ally. But when Monsieur Pujol returns to health and wants a return to his post, he meets with an unexpected resistance, while an epic battle of the sexes and classes brews. Ozon's send-up of '70s mores, manners and styles, combined with the crack comic timing of Deneuve, Depardieu and a wonderful supporting cast make Potiche a guaranteed trophy-magnet. (French with English subtitles) -- Jaie Laplante