Madame Claude

A drama based on real events.

It is about the life of a pimp woman in France and everything that goes into running such a business.

Quality.

Slightly parsimonious.

The time spectacularly recreated.

Good costumes and hairstyles.

Music instead.

Well-managed nude and sexual scenes, far from looking grotesque, add the touch to the film.

Talk about corruption, the prostitution business, what you have to do to survive in it. Of loneliness, love and what guides a person to get there.

The voice-over gives the film agility to get to know the character better.

Good performances.

Safety pin.

It carries the tone of French movies.

Editing does not help at times and it becomes somewhat confusing.

Madame Claude (2021), dir. Sylvie Verheyde. I am not sure why this Netflix film has such a low rating at imdb. I found it to be, if not especially original, at least a plausible depiction of the world's oldest profession. There are quite a few films about brothels and madames, and it's true that this one does not chart any new territory with regard to the profession itself. Nonetheless, I found the acting decent and liked that the film was based on a true story and followed the entire trajectory of the life of Madame Claude.

A subtle exploration of female relationships with an added dynamic of sex. Aesthetically and fashion wise it is absolutely beautiful and the acting is great. The narrative format of following someone from when they just joined the brothel at the height of its success to when it was ultimately shut down and Mme Claude put in prison was enthralling. I completely do not understand the negative reviews on here. I mean, someone says 'why did she go to America?' Bruh have you ever heard of trying to escape prison???? A very common thing for heads of criminal organisations to do!?! Personally, I don't understand why I'd never heard of this woman before especially given how tied up to the French gov it all was. Yet if it was a male head of a criminal organisation I probably would've heard of them....

I started watching as the story of Madame Claude is quite famous. I dropped the show after 30mn. Too much sex and no story line. Actors are not even good.

It's a hard pass... don't loose your time.

Fernande Grudet's life is a fascinating story but the film falls short of making it compelling. The main focus is on the requisites of the sex sex trade: how she manages her burgeoning business and the growing power and influence that go with it. It does little to dive into the interesting characters that inhabit her story.

Given the story's potential, one could imagine dramatic encounters with the police and her influential clients. But when such opportunities arise, the encounters happen mostly matter-of-factly except for that memorable meeting of Sidonie and her father in the restaurant where he got his comeuppance.