Rose isn’t much of a secretary, but boy can she type! When she runs into Romaine, a frustrated sportsman stuck in his family’s business, he decides to train her for the International Speed Typing contest in New York.
During the opening moments of Populaire, it’s unclear what kind of movie you’re about to get. Without prior knowledge, it’s easy to mistakenly take this jaunt seriously. But once the 50’s sitcom theme music begins, the giddy nature of the film becomes apparent.
Rose Pamphyle is the daughter of a small-town shopkeeper. The lofty heights of her ambitions are well summarized in her satiric lines: “Oh to be a secretary!” she exclaims. In her quest for secretarial glory, she teaches herself to type with lightning speed, and off she goes to the big city.
Rose’s plan quickly fails; she turns out to have little to no office skills, but her saving grace is her typing prowess. Meanwhile, she runs into the handsome Romaine, a frustrated sportsman stuck running his family’s insurance office. Yearning for recognition, he sees an opportunity in Rose, whom he decides to train for an international speed typing contest in New York.
Populaire is a singularly stylish and romantic farce, bolstered by the competitive edge of a sports film. As Rose climbs the ranks of typing stardom, she falls for Romaine. Romaine falls for Rose. And, hilariously, neither one quite knows how and when to profess their love.