Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Madame Claude’ On Netflix, A Steamy French Biopic About An Infamous Brothel Keeper

Netflix has seen a fair amount of success with its French titles; series like Lupin, Call My Agent!, and La Revolution are proof enough of that. The latest French addition, Madame Claude, shines a light on the shady world of sex work in 1960s Paris. Will it be another hit for the streamer, or one more deserving of an au revoir? 

MADAME CLAUDE: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: Paris, France. The 1960s. Madame Claude (Karole Rocher) runs an exclusive brothel that caters to politicians, entertainers, and other rich and powerful people (including Marlon Brando and John F. Kennedy). She’s a fierce businesswoman, a mother figure, a myth to many, and a government informant. She keeps busy (to say the least), but things are never as simple as they seem on the surface.

About 200 young women work under her watchful eye, and 30% of the cut goes to her – which seems to keep everyone happy. When clever young Sidonie (Garance Marillier) begins working for Madame Claude, it’s only a matter of time until she proves herself worthy of being her right-hand woman – and the two continue to take the business to new places, perhaps beyond what Madame Claude ever had in mind.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: Madame Claude‘s broody French drama quality will evoke other titles in the genre, as well as the film of the same name released in 1977 that explores the famous brothel keeper’s exploits.

Performance Worth Watching: Garance Marillier was absolutely extraordinary in Raw, and her turn as Sidonie in Madame Claude only delivers more of the same. As the cunning newcomer to this world, she easily holds her own opposite someone with as much star power as Karole Rocher in the lead, as well as the rest of the film’s cast. And with that perfect ’60s eyeliner and sleek haircut, it’s like she was born to exist in this world. It’s pretty surprising that Marillier hasn’t had a massive international breakthrough post-Raw, but here’s hoping that Madame Claude helps do the trick.

Memorable Dialogue: “I realized very early on that most men treat us like whores. I decided to be the queen of whores. That our bodies must be used like a weapon and armor. To never suffer again.” This voiceover from early in the film may be on the nose, but it’s strong stuff.

Sex and Skin: Well that’s kind of the heart of it, isn’t it? In Madame Claude, the nudity starts only a few minutes in and doesn’t really stop. Sex, stripteases, and everything in between fill most of this drama’s runtime. Lots of naked bodies.

Our Take: I wanted to love Madame Claude; the story is fascinating one, the cast is wonderful, and the setting is totally captivating. But if there’s one thing I know about a biopic or based-on-a-true-story drama, however, it’s never to get your hopes up too high. These films often get lost in the big picture rather than honing in on something smaller and more significant, which ends up muddling the story and making everything feel rushed. Time jumps and a million historical events squeezed into one film never really work, and that’s the case with Madame Claude.

Despite my issues with the script and overall story structure, the cast – particularly Karole Rocher and Garance Marillier – turn in some truly memorable performances. The camera truly loves them both, and the relationship between Madame Claude and Sidinie is an interesting one, one that takes up a large part of the film but could have easily been pushed center stage. Madame Claude doesn’t quite know where in its leading lady’s life to keep the spotlight focused, and that leaves the film sitting in pretty middling territory despite its strong potential. There’s also its strange relationship with on-screen sex; Madame Claude may think it is making the distinction between work and love, but the lines in all its relationships are so blurred – and the camerawork so frequently male gaze-y – that it’s hard to tell the difference. If this era of history, French sex work, and female relationships interest you, you may very well find something to love about Madame Claude. If, however, you need a focused story and clear arc, you’ll probably find yourself wanting more.

Our Call: SKIP IT. While armed with a dazzling cast and a scintillating story, Madame Claude falls victim to the same plight as many other biopics – it tries to squeeze in too much information instead of focusing on one engaging story in particular.

Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

Stream Madame Claude on Netflix