How a ghostwriter reclaimed her identity from a literary entrepreneur in 19th-century France
In short: The 2018 film Colette dramatizes the true story of Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, a woman whose literary genius was initially exploited by her husband, Willy. Forced to write bestsellers under his name, she eventually broke free from his shadow to claim her own voice and legacy as a celebrated French novelist.
Directed by Wash Westmoreland, the film explores the complex power dynamics between Colette and her husband, a self-described literary entrepreneur who relied on ghostwriters to maintain his lavish lifestyle. When Willy’s finances faltered, he coerced Colette into writing stories based on her school days. The resulting novel, Claudine à l'école, became a massive success, yet it was published entirely under Willy’s byline. This pattern continued as Colette penned further bestsellers, even while locked in a country house to ensure her productivity.
The narrative captures Colette’s evolution as she navigates personal betrayals and discovers her own identity. Her journey toward independence was marked by her relationships with figures like Missy and her eventual rejection of Willy’s control. The turning point arrives when Willy sells the rights to her work without her knowledge, prompting Colette to leave him and finally publish under her own name, starting with The Vagabond. The film highlights this transition from a suppressed collaborator to an acclaimed author in her own right.
While critics praised Keira Knightley’s performance, the film’s reception was mixed. Some reviewers, like Manohla Dargis, noted that while the film succeeds as a liberation story, its polished presentation inevitably omits the complexities of such an exuberant life. Others, such as Vikram Murthi, found the biopic somewhat tepid. Despite these critiques, the film remains a significant look at the struggle for creative ownership, anchored by a production that utilized locations across the UK and Hungary to recreate the atmosphere of the era.
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