Winning is everything. Or at least, that is what Emmanuelle Blachey is told every single day she walks into the headquarters of Trident, a French energy giant. If you haven't seen the 2017 film Number One (originally titled Numéro une), you are missing out on one of the most razor-sharp depictions of corporate warfare ever put to digital sensor.
Honestly, it's kinda wild how well this movie has aged. In a world where we constantly talk about "glass ceilings," Tonie Marshall’s final directorial effort doesn't just talk about the ceiling; it shows you the structural beams, the jagged edges, and the blood left behind when someone actually tries to break through. It’s not a cozy watch. It’s a tactical one.
What is Number One actually about?
Basically, we follow Emmanuelle, played with a brilliant, simmering intensity by Emmanuelle Devos. She's a high-level engineer who has climbed almost to the top. She's got the talent, the resume, and the stamina. But when a powerful network of influential women—a sort of feminist secret society—approaches her to help her become the first female CEO of a CAC 40 company, things get messy. Fast.
The movie isn't just about "girl power" or some corporate success montage. It’s a thriller. It’s about the whispers in the hallways, the leaked files, and the way men in power move the goalposts the second a woman gets close to the ball.
The Reality of the Glass Ceiling in Number One
Most movies about business are either "wolf of wall street" madness or "devil wears prada" fashion drama. Number One is different because it focuses on the logistics of sexism. It’s about the meetings scheduled at 8:00 PM when you have kids to pick up. It's about the "boys' club" that operates on golf courses and in private saunas where decisions are made before the official board meeting even starts.
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You've got to appreciate how Tonie Marshall handled the script. She didn't make the male antagonists cartoon villains. They're just... guys. They’re guys who think they’re being "fair" while actively sabotaging a woman’s career because she doesn't fit the "image" of a leader. It’s that subtle, institutional bias that makes your skin crawl because it feels so real.
Why the cast works so well
- Emmanuelle Devos: She plays Emmanuelle Blachey with zero fluff. She’s stoic but vulnerable. You can see the gears turning in her head during every silent beat.
- Suzanne Clément: As Véra Jacob, she represents the "Kingmaker" (or Queenmaker) who knows exactly how to play the game, even if it means getting her hands dirty.
- Richard Berry: He plays the quintessential corporate gatekeeper. He’s charming right up until the moment he isn't.
What most people get wrong about the movie
A lot of critics at the time dismissed this as a "niche" French drama. They were wrong. This is a survival story. People often think the film is just about a promotion, but it’s actually about the cost of ambition. Emmanuelle has a husband and kids. She has a life. The movie asks the brutal question: Is being Number One worth losing the version of yourself that started the journey?
There's this one scene where she’s essentially told she’s "too emotional" for a role because she cared about a family crisis. Meanwhile, the men around her are throwing literal temper tantrums, and that's just called "passion." It’s a double standard that still resonates in 2026.
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The legacy of Tonie Marshall
This was Marshall’s last film before she passed away in 2020. She was a powerhouse in French cinema—the only woman to ever win the César Award for Best Director (for Venus Beauty Institute). You can feel her decades of experience in the industry bleeding into the frames of Number One. She knew what it was like to be the only woman in the room.
If you are looking for a movie that understands the intersection of politics, power, and gender without being preachy, this is the one. It’s a 110-minute masterclass in tension.
How to watch and what to look for
If you’re planning to stream it, look for the title Woman Up! in some regions (yeah, a bit of a cheesy English title, but the movie is the same).
When you watch, pay attention to the sound design. The way the office noise—the hum of printers, the clicking of heels, the distant phones—becomes a claustrophobic cage for the protagonist is intentional. It makes the moments of silence in her home feel even more alien.
Your next steps for a deeper dive
- Watch the original French version: Subtitles are better than dubs here. You need to hear the cadence of the corporate jargon to get the full effect.
- Research the CAC 40: If you want to understand the stakes, look up the actual French stock market index. It puts into perspective how massive these companies really are.
- Compare with 'The Assistant' (2019): If you liked the "quiet horror" of corporate life in Number One, Kitty Green’s The Assistant makes for a perfect, albeit depressing, double feature.
Instead of just looking for a "business movie," look for the human elements. Number One succeeds because it treats its characters like people first and chess pieces second. It’s a reminder that the climb to the top is rarely a straight line, and it’s never, ever free.