How to Be a Good Wife

Set in the late 1960s France, the plot runs through a school year during rising student riots in Paris. The timeline culminates in the women's liberation movement as the staff and students decide to join the demonstrations. Financial precarity and personal entanglements intensify the sense of a turning point for women’s roles in society.

The action unfolds at Van der Beck's School of Housekeeping and Good Manners in Alsace, a traditional girls' finishing school. The story also travels to Paris as student protests erupt in 1968, framing the social upheaval around the characters. The contrast between a controlled domestic program and the radical energy of the city highlights the era's tension between tradition and change.

✊ Feminism

The movie centers on Paulette's struggle between running a traditional school and the growing demand for female autonomy. It portrays how a women-led environment questions gender expectations and authority. The Paris march at the end signals solidarity and a shift toward collective empowerment.

💼 Economy & Control

Bank loans, debt, and the financial mismanagement surrounding the school reveal how money becomes a tool of power. Grunvald's manipulations and the pressure to keep the institution afloat expose gendered dynamics of financial dependence. The characters navigate negotiations that determine whether tradition can survive financial strain.

📣 Collective Resistance

Rising student unrest and the staff's decision to march to Paris embody a broader rejection of oppressive norms. The film uses crowds and solidarity to illustrate how collective action can challenge entrenched power structures. It frames personal choices within a wider movement for social change.