Forgotten movie cars: the Panhard Dyna Z from "Mademoiselle Populaire"
Crack! And the window crank comes off – because Rose, in her anger, tried to open the door with it. As skilled as the young secretary is with her fingertips, she is occasionally clumsy in all other matters. But who can blame her when both her boss and his best friend make fun of her for it? Meanwhile, fans of classic French cars can breathe a sigh of relief: the cuddly Panhard Dyna Z doesn't suffer any more damage in the course of the film.
Régis Rosinard's romantic comedy from 2012 is particularly appealing due to the complete insignificance of its plot. A young woman from the French provinces wants (or has?) to become world champion in high-speed typing in 1958. Influence on world events? Zero. "Mademoiselle Populaire" simply tells its own little story, which is as charming as it is amusing to watch thanks to its likeable characters and attention to detail.
Oh yes, this is about the car. It belongs to Rose's boss, the insurance broker Louis, who always drives it to the office, while Rose has to take the Vélo first. No one in the village should get the idea that the two are involved. Of course, a one-man office in Lisieux is not the place to make big money, so Louis has updated his 1955 limousine with the rear lights of the '57 model in order to keep up with the times.
Even apart from the small two-cylinder car that eventually takes Rose and Louis to Paris, the filmmakers have succeeded in creating an extremely coherent picture of French road traffic at the time – and at the same time not. After all, "Mademoiselle Populaire" is probably the only film set in 1950s France that does without a single Citroën DS.
