Keira Knightleys new film Colette tells the story of the French writer and actress whose husband, known to fans as Willy, took her work and put his own name on it for the fame and fortune.
Its a film set in the early 20th century but resonates strongly in 2018 – as this exclusive clip shows.
Colette has lost her enthusiasm for writing as she implores Willy to let her name grace the books covers but he refuses her wishes while gently guiding her upstairs to her writing room before locking her in and demanding to see some pages on his return.
You bastard, she cries out but its not going to change his mind.
What this man wants he gets, no matter the consequences.
Colette married Willy age 20, and it was he who introduced her to Frances avant-garde culture and artistic society, but after their split in 1906 she had no access to the profits of her books because the copyright belonged to Willy.
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She undertook a stage career to bring in money when possible, and she later wrote about this period of her life in La Vagabonde (1910) a novel which focuses on female independence in a male society.
If only she knew 100 years later wed still be dealing with the same crap.
Colette opens in cinemas in the UK on 11 January.
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