Colette
After marrying successful Parisian writer Henry Gauthier-Villars, known commonly as "Willy" (Dominic West), Gabrielle Colette (Keira Knightley) is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendor of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him. Colette, in turn, pens a semi-autobiographical novel about a witty and brazen country girl named Claudine, sparking a bestseller and a cultural sensation. After its success, Colette and Willy become the talk of Paris and their adventures inspire additional Claudine novels. Colette's fight over creative ownership and gender roles drives her to overcome societal constraints, revolutionizing literature, fashion and sexual expression.
The film earned $14.3M at the global box office.
1 win & 14 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Colette (2018) showcases deliberately positioned story structure, characteristic of Wash Westmoreland's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 52 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.6, the film showcases strong structural fundamentals.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette lives a simple country life in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye, carefree and tomboyish, helping her family and enjoying rural freedom before her life changes forever.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Willy reveals he is in severe debt and facing financial ruin. The couple's carefree Parisian lifestyle is threatened, forcing them to confront the reality of their economic situation.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 28 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Colette commits fully to writing the Claudine novels. She chooses to pour her authentic self, memories, and voice onto the page, entering the world of professional authorship despite having no public credit., moving from reaction to action.
At 56 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat Colette discovers Willy's ongoing infidelities and realizes that despite her creative success, she has no legal ownership of her work, no money of her own, and no public recognition. The false victory of success reveals itself as exploitation., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 84 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Colette's relationship with Georgie ends painfully when Willy manipulates the situation. Colette realizes she has lost both her lover and her artistic ownership. Her marriage is dead, her work stolen, and her identity subsumed., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 90 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Colette decides to leave Willy and reclaim her identity. She synthesizes her talent with her newfound understanding that she must own her voice. She chooses herself over security, fame-by-proxy, or societal approval., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Colette's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping Colette against these established plot points, we can identify how Wash Westmoreland utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Colette within the biography genre.
Wash Westmoreland's Structural Approach
Among the 2 Wash Westmoreland films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.6, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Colette exemplifies the director's characteristic narrative technique. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Wash Westmoreland filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional biography films include Lords of Dogtown, Ip Man 2 and A Complete Unknown. For more Wash Westmoreland analyses, see Still Alice.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette lives a simple country life in Saint-Sauveur-en-Puisaye, carefree and tomboyish, helping her family and enjoying rural freedom before her life changes forever.
Theme
Willy tells Colette that in Paris, "You can be whoever you want to be" - establishing the theme of identity, authenticity, and self-creation versus societal expectation.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to Colette's rural family life, her courtship with the charming but opportunistic Willy, their marriage, and her introduction to Belle Époque Parisian society and its bohemian literary circles.
Disruption
Willy reveals he is in severe debt and facing financial ruin. The couple's carefree Parisian lifestyle is threatened, forcing them to confront the reality of their economic situation.
Resistance
Willy convinces Colette to write down her school memories. She resists at first, seeing writing as his domain. He pushes her, acting as a demanding editor, while she struggles to find her voice and overcome self-doubt.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Colette commits fully to writing the Claudine novels. She chooses to pour her authentic self, memories, and voice onto the page, entering the world of professional authorship despite having no public credit.
Mirror World
The introduction of Georgie Raoul-Duval, an American woman who embodies independence and sexual freedom. She becomes Colette's confidante and eventually lover, representing the authentic self Colette is discovering.
Premise
The Claudine books become wildly successful. Colette experiences fame vicariously through Willy's public persona while she remains the secret author. She enjoys the bohemian lifestyle, explores her sexuality, and becomes a cultural phenomenon.
Midpoint
Colette discovers Willy's ongoing infidelities and realizes that despite her creative success, she has no legal ownership of her work, no money of her own, and no public recognition. The false victory of success reveals itself as exploitation.
Opposition
Colette demands recognition and fights for her identity. Willy tightens control, sells her novel rights without consent, and flaunts his affairs. Their marriage deteriorates as she grows stronger and he grows more threatened by her independence.
Collapse
Colette's relationship with Georgie ends painfully when Willy manipulates the situation. Colette realizes she has lost both her lover and her artistic ownership. Her marriage is dead, her work stolen, and her identity subsumed.
Crisis
Colette faces her darkest moment of powerlessness. She contemplates her choices, processes the death of her marriage and naivety, and sits with the pain of having given away her voice and identity for so long.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Colette decides to leave Willy and reclaim her identity. She synthesizes her talent with her newfound understanding that she must own her voice. She chooses herself over security, fame-by-proxy, or societal approval.
Synthesis
Colette leaves Willy, begins performing as a music hall dancer under her own name, and starts writing as herself. She reclaims her narrative and builds an independent life despite scandal and social disapproval.
Transformation
Colette performs on stage in her own right, confident and free. Text reveals she became France's most celebrated female writer. The country girl who arrived in Paris as someone's wife has become wholly herself - "Colette."