How to Be a Good Wife

In a small Alsace town, Paulette Van Der Beck runs a long standing housekeeping school with her husband, shaping young girls into the ideal housewives in a society that expects women to be subservient. When he dies suddenly, Paulette discovers the school teeters on bankruptcy and she must shoulder the burden alone. As preparations for a televised housekeeping competition begin, she and her spirited pupils confront the limits of tradition. The May 1968 upheaval sweeps across France, stirring new desires and opening a path toward independence for them all. Classroom chaos, rivalries, and humor mix with earnest conversations about work, love, and self worth, as Paulette and the students navigate a changing world.

Directed by Martin Provost, the film is written by Séverine Werba with Juliette Binoche starring as Paulette. It brings together a seasoned French cast and a vivid 1960s Alsace setting. The production favors light social satire and character driven humor while exploring the era's upheaval. It premiered in 2020 and saw a measured release in France and abroad.

Box office data for this title is not widely reported; it had a limited release and did not post notable worldwide grosses. In French press it was described as a modest performer during a challenging release window.

The film nudges conversations about gender and power by reimagining a protective yet restrictive domestic sphere as a place where women support one another to define their own goals. Binoche and Moreau deliver warmth that invites audiences to reflect on how far society has come since the 1960s.

Critics acknowledged the film's buoyant ensemble and Binoche's poised presence, while some noted a tonal unevenness between satire and social drama. The movie leans into themes of emancipation and generational change, pairing a tight friendship among students with Paulette's awakening to new possibilities. Its portrayal of May 68 figures as a catalyst rather than a backdrop highlights a moment of cultural transition and questions about the price of progress.