Odette Toulemonde
Saleswoman Odette Toulemonde (Catherine Frot) has to be carefulthat she does not lose her nerves with excitement. Today she finally meets the man who liberates her day by day with her books from their gray everyday life: bestselling author Balthasar Balzan (Albert Dupontel). The interested in the signing lesson, however, especially for his biggest fan, and Odette gets out of nervousness no reasonable word. So she decides to adore Balthasar in writing - in a multi-page letter. Its content is like balm for Balzan's tortured writer-soul. His latest book has just been torn from criticism. And the most important of all literary critics did not like Balzans novel, but his wife. Totally depressed, the writer turns up at Odette, who agrees to take him in for a few days.
Clear that here two worlds collide: Balthasar owns a large apartment, Odette lives in a confined space together with her gay son, her notoriously bad-tempered daughter and her unbearable friend. And because her salary as a saleswoman in the perfume department of a department store is not sufficient, she also tailors costumes for a theater in the evening. But Odette has something missing in Balthasar's glamor and glamor world: humanity, warmth, humor ...
Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, himself a bestselling author ("Monsieur Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran"), made his directorial debut with "Odette Toulemonde" and wrote the script himself. His romantic story about Mrs. Everyman - as Madame "Toulemonde" would be called in German - may not be a big surprise, but is told very charming. And Schmitt knows how to garnish her with some bizarre ideas that remind a bit of "The Fabulous World of Amélie". But that would be only half as nice if it was not for the lead actress Catherine Frot ("The girl turning the pages"). Whether she's talking, laughing, singing or dancing (Odette is a big Josephine Baker fan), Catherine Frot is just gorgeous. Not at all like everyone else, this woman Everyman.
Tip: Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt has also published his "Odette Toulemonde" as a book along with other stories. Read by Maximilian Brückner "Odette Toulemonde and other stories" is part 3 of our new audiobook edition "Strong Voices - Men".
