Romuald et Juliette

I don't know how I came across this film, but I think it was because of Daniel Auteuil, an actor I had not encountered before I first saw this film in the early 90s. I've since bought the video and have watched it many times. The sweet story of a myopic French executive and his black office cleaning lady is not at all racist as someone previously posted here. And it's refreshing to see a love story starring a woman with a Junoesque figure. Fermine Richard is a splendid, sexy presence, and the scene where her son is let out of prison and her greeting to him is hilarious. Daniel Auteuil, as the clueless executive whose eyes are finally opened is a sensational actor and he's actually handsome in this film. Usually he's submerged in some character, and you forget that he can be an effortless leading man. The children--his and hers--are delightful, as is Romuald's ex-wife and bumbling underlings who seek to oust Romuald from his position as the CEO of a successful yogurt company, play their absurd parts with winks and nods.

Again it is the masterly hand of Coline Sereau who lets this warm comedy unfold with grace and sweetness that make for a delightful time. I had heard the film was optioned for an American version with Richard Dreyfus in the part of Romauld. Sounds awful. Watch the masterly original instead!

I would not compare it to Le Placard, which IMHO had more comic moments, but Romuald & Juliette while being a slow starter certainly kept your attention going throughout the film, nicely paced and reaching a heart warming conclusion :) There were many marvellous comedic moments, some brilliant pathos and realistic situation acting by all actors.

It was a typically French film, in which while confronting prejudices and phobias, which in turn the made the viewer confront his own shortcomings! I am certainly pleased to have this in my library, and will no doubt watch it time and time again, which to me is a mark of a great film.

A more or less typical form of numbskull Hollywood osmosis was responsible for the change of title for this charming French interracial romance when it crossed the Atlantic, from the perfectly adequate 'Romuald and Juliette' (shades of Shakespeare), which at least identifies the two unlikely lovers. Romuald is an aggressive yogurt tycoon who works in the executive suite of a Paris skyscraper; Juliette is the black cleaning woman who empties his garbage overnight, and when she learns of an insider trading and sabotage scheme the two become allies and (inevitably) lovers. There's nothing deep or significant here, but the script is both sensitive and, at times, even clever, and (surprisingly) never loses sight of the obvious social/racial/economic gaps dividing its two protagonists. But to say it ends happily-ever-after is an understatement: the resolution is too incredibly upbeat. And does it seem odd that a French film should have to justify their affair by showing Romuald's wife also fooling around?

This is one of my favorite French films of all time. Juliet is an French African cleaning woman, mother of five (all with different fathers) and she works hard at a yogurt factory. I love Daniel Auteuil who plays Romauld. Anyway, Romauld is screwed at his job when the yogurt goes bad but it's Juliet who saves the day for him. She takes him in to her already crowded home and of course, they fall in love eventually. They are a mismatched couple in everything but they say opposites attract at least on celluloid they do. I still love Auteuil and think he is one of the best French actors around. Sorry Depardieu, I love you too but Daniel is just sexier. Anyway, the film is worth viewing for sheer enjoyment.

i was glad that this movie did without all the supposed depth of all too many pseudo-serious interracial movies. race was one issue, yes, but so was class...and loyalty...and honesty, etc.

i also loved the idea that the love affair wasn't couched solely in the 'decorative' aspects of either character's appearance. aren't our divorce courts (on both sides of the Atlantic, i daresay!) filled now with enough couples who thought 'looking good. together.' is all it takes to make a solid marriage? in any case, the tenderness and sensuality of both characters was thick enough to cut in love scenes that would have brought a rainbow to any dreary day! in other words, a light-hearted movie that's by no means a light-weight!