Colette 2018

Colette's rural origins

Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette grows up in the rural town of Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye at the close of the 19th century. The film traces her early life and longing for independence before she enters into a life-changing partnership with Willy. Her background sets the stage for the tensions between artistry and control that run through the story.

Colette to Paris with Willy

Willy brings Colette to Paris as his bride, and socialites react with surprise at a libertine who wants to marry him. The move marks the transition from rural life to the city's literary and social circles. Colette's arrival introduces her to a world of performance, culture, and ambition.

Willy's 'literary entrepreneur' scheme

Willy calls himself a literary entrepreneur, employing ghostwriters to churn out articles to fund his lavish lifestyle. Colette manages his correspondence, becoming involved in the writing world more than as a creator. The financial pressure grows as output fails to match spending.

Colette discovers Willy with a prostitute

Colette confronts Willy after finding him with a prostitute, a betrayal that severs their closeness. They separate for a time as the relationship strains under the weight of secrecy and financial strain. The breach tests Colette's loyalty and her understanding of Willy's honesty.

Reconciliation and his promise of honesty

Willy persuades Colette to return, promising honesty and a renewed partnership. They navigate the tensions between desire, trust, and artistic ambition as they re-knit their personal and professional bond. This reconciliation allows Colette to begin shaping her own literary voice under his influence.

Claudine in school: the draft

Colette recounts her schoolgirl days to Willy, who asks her to write a novel based on those memories. She completes a draft of Claudine à l'école, but Willy rejects it for lacking a strong plot. The friction between Colette's memory and Willy's expectations foreshadows later resistance to his control.

The draft found and revised

Years pass and some of Willy's furniture is repossessed, signaling financial trouble. He discovers Colette's draft and pushes for revisions, eventually leading to the novel's publication under Willy's byline. The public's reception begins to determine the balance of power in their partnership.

Claudine à l school's becomes a hit

Claudine à l'école becomes a bestseller, especially resonating with a female readership. Willy purchases a country house and locks Colette in a room to force her to write the sequel Claudine à Paris. She reluctantly produces the next work and it too becomes a bestseller.

Georgie enters; jealousy and affairs

As Colette and Willy grow famous as a couple, Georgie Raoul-Duval, a Louisiana debutante, draws Willy's attention and a new affair begins. Willy, in turn, begins an affair with Georgie, intensifying the strain of their marriage. The tangled relationships drive Colette to mine real-life episodes into her fiction.

Claudine en ménage and its fate

Colette writes Claudine en ménage, drawing on the Georgie affair. Georgie's husband purchases and burns all copies before sale, but he does not buy the copyright, allowing Willy to reprint and profit. The book's controversy adds fuel to the couple's public profile.

Stage success and Polaire

The Claudine books continue to thrive, including a stage adaptation featuring the popular Polaire. The onstage presence cements Colette's status as a major literary figure, even as the partnership with Willy remains fraught. The commercial success helps Willy to consolidate control over the rights.

Missy, Moulin Rouge, and the final severance

Colette begins an affair with Missy, who presents as male, and they develop a provocative act at the Moulin Rouge. The controversy and the financial fallout prompt Willy to sell all Claudine rights for 5,000 francs without Colette's knowledge, prompting her to leave him. Paul, Willy's employee, is asked to burn the manuscripts but returns them to Colette instead.