The Baker’s Wife ★★★★ — Jewish Renaissance
![](https://afeera.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/TheCompanyofTheBaker27sWife-creditTristramKenton286296x4-780x470.jpg)
Concorde turns out to be a bit of a misnomer. In no time, the apparently neighbourly residents are squabbling, led by Denise, the café owner’s wife (Josefina Gabrielle), mistress of the put down. Perhaps they have an excuse – this is a village with no baker after all – equivalent to a British pub with no beer; everyone is on tenterhooks awaiting the arrival of the new chef. All they need is bread – and cake and croissants and any other bakery products they can get their hands on. So when the arrival of the well-named Aimable (magnificent Clive Rowe), who has bought the bakery, is heralded by the most enticing of smells and then trolleys of glorious rolls, loaves, patisserie and biscuits, there is a near riot to grab them.
Aimable’s beautiful, younger wife Genevieve causes almost as much of a stir. The men can’t get over her beauty and, although she is a married woman, they are soon rivals for her affection, to the chagrin of their womenfolk, understandably piqued and prone to jealousy. In case you imagine Lucie Jones’ Genevieve to be a shameless flirt, her behaviour is blameless, and her main worry and affection is for Pom Pom the cat, who has a habit of going missing. But is she really lucky in love with Aimable, who is of an older generation?