Populaire (12A)

Directed by Regis Roinsard
FACT, Liverpool
From 31st May 2013

Reviewed by Colin Serjent

Populaire is a homage to the Hollywood movies of the 1950's, particularly in regard to the gorgeous textures of Technicolor.

The two main protagonists are Rose Pamphyle (Deborah Francois) and Louis Echard (Romain Duris), plus lots and lots of typewriters!

Head of a small insurance company in France he employs her as his secretary after she demonstrates her ultra fast speed in typing, even though only using two fingers.

He puts Rose under intense training to enable her to compete in speed typing championships - it is noticeable that no men are featured taking part in them in the film - which were very popular in the 1950's and 60's.

She ends up competing in the world speed typing championship in New York.

There are numerous acknowledgements throughout of groundbreaking movies, too many to mention, but that does not spoil the film in any way, in fact it will be a delight to cinema buffs.

Sometimes Populaire - it was the name of a best selling typewriter of the time - is a bit like eating slices and slices of sweetcake but nevertheless very appetising.

It serves up a profound sense of innocence and sense of time that will never be recaptured.

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