On the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of the death of Louis de Funès, this documentary by Jacques Pessis pays tribute to the cult actor by retracing his career through excerpts of his greatest successes in the cinema and in the music hall, never-before-seen archives, as well as testimonies from personalities and relatives.
Lui-même (archives)
Self (archive footage)
The story of Fantômas, the first villain of modernity, from his birth in 1911 as a novel character to his contemporary vicissitudes, passing through Louis Feuillade, André Hunebelle, surrealism and Moscow.
Self (archive footage)
In May 1974, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing became President of the Republic and wanted to bring about a new era of modernity. One of his first decisions was to break up the ORTF with the creation of three new television channels: TF1, Antenne 2 and FR3. Three new public channels but autonomous and competing. It is a race for the audience which is engaged then, and from now on the channels will make the war! This competition will give birth to a real golden age for television programs, with variety shows in the forefront. The stars of the song are going to invade the living rooms of the French for their biggest pleasure. This unedited documentary tells the story of the metamorphosis of this television of the early 1970s, between freedom of tone, scandals, political intrigues and programs that have become mythical.
The comic art of Louis de Funès (1914-1983), like that of Totò and a few others, ultimately transcends the limits of the films in which he appeared, thanks to the dynamic expressivity of his persona. Drawing on contributions from critics, scholars and the actor’s colleagues, this documentary deciphers the keys to the de Funès phenomenon, intelligently analysing the peculiar characters of his facial and corporeal mimicry, the plasticity of his gestures, and the doubling of character and creator (in the sense that, once he became successful, ‘Fufu’ effectively became the author of the majority of his films, often limiting the director’s role).
Self (archive footage)
Self (archive footage)
An account of the last two centuries of the Anthropocene, the Age of Man. How human beings have progressed so much in such a short time through war and the selfish interests of a few, belligerent politicians and captains of industry, damaging the welfare of the majority of mankind, impoverishing the weakest, greedily devouring the limited resources of the Earth.
Self (archive footage)
Charles de Gaulle, the first president (1958-1969) of the Vth Republic, France’s current system of government, left his mark on the country . He was statesman of action and has been compared to a monarch. This film depicts the general’s personality through the great events of his presidential term, at a time when the world was undergoing considerable changes.
Himself
Self (archive footage)
Himself (archive footage)
A moving and very funny portrait of the personal and professional life of the magnificent French comedian Louis de Funès (1914-83), as well as a detailed analysis of his masterful acting technique.
Self - Archive
The life and career of actor Louis de Funès with interviews from his family, friends and collaborators.
Self (archive footage)
A documentary on Louis de Funès based on unseen archives and film extracts, interviews from close friends and comedy specialists.
Ludovic Cruchot
Cruchot's police office moves into a new building. They do not only get high tech equipment, but also four young female police officers to educate. All of them scramble to work with them -- and cause pure chaos while being distracted by the fine ladies. Then they get into real trouble when one after the other of their female colleagues is kidnapped.
Author
Two buddy farmers are visited by aliens who like their domestic cabbage soup.
Claude Ratinier (Le Glaude)
Two buddy farmers are visited by aliens who like their domestic cabbage soup.
Screenplay
Based on Molière's play. The children of Harpagon, Cléante and his sister Elise, are each in love but they still haven't spoken to their father yet. Harpagon is a miser who wants to choose the right man and the right woman for his children. When Cléante, at last, tries to speak to Harpagon, the old man informs the family that he wants to marry Marianne, the young girl loved by Cléante. Unaware of his son's sorrow, Harpagon doesn't understand why Cléante has become so angry with him.
Director
Based on Molière's play. The children of Harpagon, Cléante and his sister Elise, are each in love but they still haven't spoken to their father yet. Harpagon is a miser who wants to choose the right man and the right woman for his children. When Cléante, at last, tries to speak to Harpagon, the old man informs the family that he wants to marry Marianne, the young girl loved by Cléante. Unaware of his son's sorrow, Harpagon doesn't understand why Cléante has become so angry with him.
Harpagon
Based on Molière's play. The children of Harpagon, Cléante and his sister Elise, are each in love but they still haven't spoken to their father yet. Harpagon is a miser who wants to choose the right man and the right woman for his children. When Cléante, at last, tries to speak to Harpagon, the old man informs the family that he wants to marry Marianne, the young girl loved by Cléante. Unaware of his son's sorrow, Harpagon doesn't understand why Cléante has become so angry with him.
Ludovic Cruchot
The bungling inspector Cruchot finds himself trying to save the residents of St. Tropez from some oil-drinking humanoid aliens. The only way to tell the aliens from the real people, besides their constant thirst for oil-products, is that they sound like empty garbage cans when you touch them. Chaos is ahead.
Screenplay
The bungling inspector Cruchot finds himself trying to save the residents of St. Tropez from some oil-drinking humanoid aliens. The only way to tell the aliens from the real people, besides their constant thirst for oil-products, is that they sound like empty garbage cans when you touch them. Chaos is ahead.
Guillaume Daubray-Lacaze
Guillaume has made it: A machine that can clean dirty air by simply sucking all dirt into air balloons and then shipping them far far away so his explanation. Some Japanese business guys, after dinner with a lot of alcohol, order 5,000 pieces. His only problem: His production capacity is way to small so he gets to produce the machines in his private house. His wife Bernadette is far from being happy about it. Her private life goes down the line so she decides to leave Guillaume and to finally have revenge she candidates for major against her husband...
Charles Duchemin
Charles Duchemin, a well-known gourmet and publisher of a famous restaurant guide, is waging a war against fast food entrepreneur Tri- catel to save the French art of cooking. After having agreed to appear on a talk show to show his skills in naming food and wine by taste, he is confronted with two disasters: his son wants to become a clown rather than a restaurant tester and he, the famous Charles Duchemin, has lost his taste!
Victor Pivert
In this riot of frantic disguises and mistaken identities, Victor Pivert, a blustering, bigoted French factory owner, finds himself taken hostage by Slimane, an Arab rebel leader. The two dress up as rabbis as they try to elude not only assasins from Slimane's country, but also the police, who think Pivert is a murderer. Pivert ends up posing as Rabbi Jacob, a beloved figure who's returned to France for his first visit after 30 years in the United States. Adding to the confusion are Pivert's dentist-wife, who thinks her husband is leaving her for another woman, their daughter, who's about to get married, and a Parisian neighborhood filled with people eager to celebrate the return of Rabbi Jacob.
Don Salluste de Bazan
Don Sallust is the minister of the King of Spain. Being disingenuous, hypocritical, greedy and collecting the taxes for himself, he is hated by the people he oppresses. Accused by The Queen, a beautiful princess Bavarian, of having an illegitimate child to one of her maids of honor, he was stripped of his duties and ordered to retire to a monastery.
Antoine Brisebard
Selling author, Antoine Brisebard is a victim of a blackmailer, Jo, which threatens to jeopardize his reputation by revealing the past of his wife Sylvia. While the latter must pass the same night to take possession of the money required, Brisebard accidentally kills ...
Henri Roubier
Henry Roubier, a French promoter, and Enrico Mazzini, an Italian, have signed an agreement guaranteeing them a stranglehold on European highways. While driving on the roads of the south, Roubier takes two young hitchhikers, but an unfortunate swerve the car rushes by Henri and its occupants on the top of a pine tree onto the side of a cliff.
Ludovic Cruchot
The whole clique of Cruchot's police station is retired. Now he lives with his rich wife in her castle - and is bored almost to death. He fights with the butler, because he isn't even allowed to do the simple works. But when one of the clique suffers from amnesia after an accident, all of the others reunite and kidnap him, to take him on a tour to their old working places and through their memories. In their old uniforms they turn St. Tropez upside down.
Evan Evans
Evan Evans, the director of a ballet troupe, is rehearsing his next show in Monaco, in preparation for a worldwide tour. When one member of his troupe leaves to get married, Evans imposes a regime of strict discipline on his remaining dancers. The latter get their revenge by presenting Evans’ nephew Philippe, the only male member of the group, with a baby and a note claiming he is the father…
Hubert de Tartas
The frozen body of Paul Fournier is discovered in Greenland where he had disappeared during a scientific expedition in 1905. Perfectly conserved he is brought back to life in the 1960s. His descendants take care of him: to spare him the cultural shock they behave so to make believe it's 1905 and they are his cousins, uncle...
Ludovic Cruchot
The Saint-Tropez police launch a major offensive against dangerous drivers. Marechal Cruchot (Louis de Funès) relishes the assignment, which he pursues with a manic zeal. Cruchot is after an offending driver, who turns out to be Josépha (Claude Gensac), the widow of a highly regarded police colonel. When they meet, Cruchot falls instantly in love....
Félicien Mézeray
An art dealer wants to buy a Modigliani, which is tattooed on the back of an old soldier.
Louis-Philippe Fourchaume
Louis-Philippe Fourchaume, another typical lead-role for French comedy superstar Louis de Funès, is the dictatorial CEO of a French company which designs and produces sail yachts, and fires in yet another tantrum his designer André Castagnier, not realizing that man is his only chance to land a vital contract with the Italian magnate Marcello Cacciaperotti. So he has to find him at his extremely rural birthplace in 'la France profonde', which proves a torturous odyssey for the spoiled rich man; when he does get there his torment is far from over: the country bumpkin refuses to resume his slavish position now the shoe is on the other foot, so Fourchaume is dragged along in the boorish family life, and at times unable to control his temper, which may cost him more credit then he painstakingly builds up...
Charles Bosquier
Monsieur Bosquier, the owner of a private school, is far from pleased when his eldest son, Philippe, fails his end of year exams. He decides to send his wayward offspring to England to improve his English. In exchange, Philippe’s host, a wealthy whisky distiller, Mac Farrel, will send his daughter, Shirley, to live with the Bosquiers in France. However, Philippe has already decided to spend the summer holidays on a yacht with his friends, so he sends a fellow student, Michonnet, to England in his place. The deception is soon discovered but things go from bad to worse when Philippe and Shirley fall in love and fly to Scotland to get married...
Bertrand Barnier
This film originated as a play in Paris. The story focuses on the one-day adventures of Bertrand Barnier played with a genius of French cinema, Louis de Funes. In the same morning he learns that his daughter is pregnant, an employee stole a large amount of money from his company, his maid is about to resign in order to marry a wealthy neighbor and his body builder is interested in marrying his daughter. The seemingly complicated story-line is full of comedy or errors and some of the most hilarious mime scenes of the French cinema.
Commissaire Juve
In the third and final episode of the trilogy, Fantômas imposes a head tax on the rich, threatening to kill those who do not comply.
Stanislas Lefort, orchestra conductor
During World War II, two French civilians and a downed British Bomber Crew set out from Paris to cross the demarcation line between Nazi-occupied Northern France and the South. From there they will be able to escape to England. First, they must avoid German troops - and the consequences of their own blunders.
Writer
A great French restaurant's owner, Monsieur Septime, is thrust into intrigue and crime, when one of his famous guests disappears.
Monsieur Septime
A great French restaurant's owner, Monsieur Septime, is thrust into intrigue and crime, when one of his famous guests disappears.
Commissaire Juve
In the second episode of the trilogy Fantômas kidnaps distinguished scientist professor Marchand with the aim to develop a super weapon that will enable him to menace the world. Fantômas is also planning to abduct a second scientist, professor Lefebvre.
Léon Haudepin
The film consists of three novels. The film begins with the fact that the Bernard Blier hero removes a lantern from the entrance to a brothel. The second part is about how the lantern and jewelery were stolen from a young baroness. And in the third part the hero of Louis de Funes hangs a lantern at the entrance to his house.
Ludovic Cruchot
The second installment of Gendarmes series, tells the story of Sergeant Cruchot, who, together with his faithful comrades, has been sent to the International Congress of Gendarmerie in N.Y.
Léopold Saroyan
In this Frenco-Italian gangster parody, a shop keeper on his way to an Italian holiday suffers a crash which totals his car. The culprit can only compensate his ruined trip by driving an American friends car from Napels to Bordeaux, but as it happens to be filled with such contraband as stolen money, jewelry and drugs, the involuntary and unwitting companions in crime soon attract all but recreational attention from the "milieu".
Commissaire Juve
Fantômas is a man of many disguises. He uses maquillage as a weapon. He can impersonate anyone using an array of masks and can create endless confusion by constantly changing his appearance.
Ludovic Cruchot
The ambitious police officer Cruchot is transferred to St. Tropez. He's struggling with crimes such as persistent nude swimming, but even more with his teenage daughter, who's trying to impress her rich friends by telling them her father was a millionaire and owned a yacht in the harbor.
Marcel
Marcel and Francis are busy people. Marcel owns a café and spend all his nights running from meetings to meetings with members from the high society... at least, that's what he say to his barman! Francis leaves his home, loving wife and adorable daughter, frequently to attend meetings and demonstration with customers. His boss trusts him so much that his agenda is always full... at least, that's what he say to his wife! In fact, Marcel and Francis' incomes come from their night job: thieves! Here at least, they are professional. Troubles arise when, during one robbery, they encounter a young, high-pitched voice, candid girl who takes the decision to become their associate in crime... for the fun!
Jockey Jack
Jockey Jack has a bill open with a gangster just released from jail. He somehow manages to parry the gangster's knife attack backstage at a theatre and the latter ends up dead being put into a double bass case. A day later the gangster mysteriously has disappeared, but it turns out that he was carrying a bet ticket for a horse race now worth over a million. A turbulent run for the money begins.
Victor Garnier
Shopkeeper Victor Garnier has naively invested his family's life savings in an African mine, on his banker's recommendation. When the mine is nationalized, rendering the stock worthless, he considers himself shamelessly robbed by the bank; it seems only fair to him to return the 'favor' and rob the bank, teaming up with the whole family as they were all duped. Even for professionals such an enterprise -he decides to dig a tunnel- is quite demanding, but for simple commoners it's daunting, as they also have their personal downsides; thus Victor's wife has a most unwelcome tendency to blurt out the truth, even to the grumpy local copper: a crazy risk when you need to keep a criminal plan secret.
le monsieur en habit
Léonard Monestier
Léonard Monestier owns a large fortune, alas his wife Cynthia made a bad investment in a worthless oil concession. Far from letting this get him down, Léonard decides to find a sucker to buy this concession from him. Right on cue appears Antoine Brévin, a befuddled billionaire who is very interested in Léonard's beautiful daughter Patricia and would do anything to win her hand...
Norbert Charolais
Paul Martin is the subservient brown-nosing youngster who needs quick advancement up the hierarchy to pay for the modern lifestyle he is buying on credit. Seeing that marrying his immediate superior's daughter will not get him the results he wants, he begins plotting the demise of the head of the company. The company itself specializes in holiday travel and unscrupulously brutalizes its customers for maximum profit, spending more thought on publicity gimmicks than customer service...
Antoine Beaurepaire (« Le Gros Lot »)
A light French comedy of 5 segments.
Ludovic Lamberjacques
Comical adventures of two pairs of friends during their stay in Deauville, Normandy.
Gaspard Ripeux
The story takes place in the racecourses around Paris. A so-called major sells his tips to naive characters.
Antoine Vaillant, l'escroc
The film consists of seven roughly 15 minute episodes, each showing what will happen if one or more of the Ten Commandments will be broken: Jérome Chambard is warned that he will lose his job if he continues to swear; Françoise Beaufort enamored of a stripper calls on her only to find her married to a janitor who doesn't know what kind of dancing his wife performs; Denis, a Jesuit novice, leaves the order to avenge his sister's suicide, which was provoked by Garigny, who seduced her into prostitution and drug addiction; Philip buys a necklace for Micheline though he is bored with her; a young man find out that his real mother is not Madeleine, but actress Clarisse Ardant; Didier Marin, cashier of a bank, was fired by his boss; the Devil appears as a serpent for Jérome Chambard and the bishop are eating.
Barman
Husband try to kill his wife with a help of the plan he saw in a film. But reality is not a film.
Amoretti
Paul Ernzer
Paul fishes out of the water the body of his greatest enemy. To avoid accusations that he is a killer, taking steps that will clear his good name.
Le secretaire du commissariat / le chef du personnel
Marcel, a simple-minded factory worker, is tricked into buying a high-priced American convertable car by a widow determined not to let it fall into the hands of her late husband's secretary/secret lover. Once in pocession of the car, Marcel only encounters one bad luck episode after another with the excessive gasoline consumtion, his wife trying to sell it to make ammends meet, getting into traffic jams, accidently riding into a car wash with the top down, and more
Scapin
A ruined Baron Philippe de baron, meets one day a troupe of traveling actors led by Herod. Attracted by the one who plays the role of the ingenue: Isabella, and by the dynamism and enthusiasm of his companions, he takes the place of the deceased poet of the troupe. And during performances, Philippe became the captain Sunder. For his part, Isabelle loves Philip, but does not consider marriage, nobility him missing, she refuses to harm the career of Baron. And one day, the Duke of Vallombrosa, seduced by Isabella, finds himself challenged to a duel by Philippe for touching the girl. Defeated, he launched his men against Sunder, then removes Isabelle. The actors throw themselves then to storm the castle where she is being held. This time Vallombrosa was seriously injured, and the duke's own father, rushed to the scene, Isabelle discovers the girl he had once been an actress. Nothing stands now the union of Sunder and Isabella, under the tender gaze of the actors Herod and Scapin.
Émile Durand
Émile Durand, an insecticide manufacturer, is appalled to learn that his son Gérard has fallen in love with Suzy, the daughter of a travelling theatre company. Realising his father will never favour the union, Gérard joins the company on their next tour. In an attempt to heal the rift, Durand’s wife goes after Gérard and ends up performing in their next play…
Officier de la Gestapo
The film is a 20th-century adaptation of Voltaire's 1759 social satire novel Candide, ou l’Optimisme.
Ange Galopin, le créancier qui veut récupérer l'argent
The old Valmorin died 200 years ago. The notary tells the family about the inheritance: the one who is terminally ill will receive the money. They all try their luck with getting ill before the other so one family member pretends to be deaf, another pretends to have a terrible back ache and so on...
M. Védrines, éditeur
Ettore
Mr. Pezzella owns and operates a well-established luxury-clothing store. He does not like and does not consider it right to pay taxes and therefore uses a tax consultant to be able to evade more taxes.
Professor Montiel
When the swindler La Spada and his accomplice José come out of jail in Madrid, they decide to pull a really great swindle: nothing less than to discover and sell a third picture of the famous Goya's Maya. They engage the renowed Scorcelletti who can imitate any picture and who lives in Rome. Afterwards, with the help of the beautiful Eva, they convince the celebrated art critic Francisco Montiel of the existance of a third Maya and let him find the picture. When the swindlers are on the point of selling the faked maya to an American millionaire, Scorcelli comes back from Rome to sell one of his six other maya pictures.
Maurice Berger
A chaotic family go on holiday to Spain and get mixed up with a gang of diamond thieves
Maître Stéphane
The writer Pierre Carot became rich and famous with his book "Life as a Couple", which was based on the loving relationships of four couples. Now he's setting up his will and wants to leave his wealth to the couples among the four, which are still as deeply in love - if any: else, his companions get the money. He sends them out to visit the couples and test their love.
Blaireau
In a small French village, everything would be quiet if the local wildlife cop was not being ridiculed by a smart poacher.
Pierre Cousin
Pierre Cousin, a depressive compositor, wants to die. After five vain attempts at committing suicide, he decides to hire professional hit men to do the job on him. But as he's waiting for death, he accidentally saves a suicidal young woman's life... and falls in love. Having suddenly found a reason to live, he now fears the killers he himself hired. Is there still time to call off his contract?
Jambier, grocer
Two unlikely companions must smuggle four suitcases filled with contraband pork across Nazi-occupied Paris.
Le père Graziani, faux religieux ; Prosper le faux garçon d'écurie ; le faux colonel Luc de La Frapinière
Auguste Ferraillon
Célestin Ratier
l'inspecteur principal Victor Eugène Merlerin
Shy, timorous bank clerk, Fernand Jérôme, prevents -unwillingly of course - a gang led by "Le Grand J" from robbing the "Crédit Populaire", where he works. Having become a hero out of the blue, this new status allows him to woo Renée, the daughter of chief inspector Merlerin. What Merlerin does not know is that the man he has been trying to arrest for years, "Le Grand J" is in fact Joseph Jérôme, Fernand's father, who has disappeared for years...
"Paulo les chiens"
A young delinquent wants to lead an honest life again.
Bonoeil
A small European Kingdom wants to make a frowning Princess smile for the upcoming Royal photo to be done. A mischievous Prime Minister goes to Paris to kidnap three famous comics to force them to do an act to make the Princess smile. However, the King is not aware of this scheme... especially that this evil minister has to face a "fasting strike" by the prisoners and force them to surrender by telling a recipe of "Coq au Vin" by the radio...
Antoine Allègre
Historical film directed and written by Sacha Guitry follows the the history of Paris from its founding through the significant events in the city's history.
Helga, a stewardess, meet a passenger, Eric, during a flight to Athens. They fall in love, but he is married. Later Helga is involved in a flight crash. One of the severely injured passengers is Eric's wife Maria.
le bedeau Luigi
Monsieur Calomel
Robert Langlois is now married to Catherine, the former housemaid. And they would live happily ever after if the housing crisis did not force them to live together with Gabrielle and Fernand, Robert's parents. For, despite the good will on either side, tension soon arises. What else to expect when there is too little space in their Montmartre apartment for four people (then for six then eight, the couple having... two pairs of twins!) ; the continued presence there of Fernand (who loves peace and quiet) after he is driven to retirement ; the difficult beginnings of Robert as a lawyer in a room of the apartment, etc... Other troubles follow and the harried family is on the verge of implosion...
l'oncle Robert
A story about a simple old man with a lot of love for his only daughter. She falls in love with a doctor's son and he don't understand why...
le colonel Cousinet-Duval
A story of the love of Frou-Frou - an actress and singer in the in the beginning of her career.
Jeannot la Bonne Affaire, le barman du "Lotus
When Nathalie, a shoe seller, is abducted, her mother Flora wastes no time taking matters into her own hands. Reluctant to call in the police, she galvanizes her three other daughters into action.
Soldier Laurent Passementier (uncredited)
The film follows the life of Napoleon from his early life in Corsica to his death at Saint Helena. The film is notable for its use of location shooting for numerous scenes, especially at the French estates of Malmaison and Fontainebleau, the Palace of Versailles, and sites of Napoleonic battles including Austerlitz and Waterloo.
D'Arrigio - Modeschöpfer
le garçon d'étage
The scene is a tawdry hotel room in Limbo, where several damned souls are gathered. At first, the group fails to comprehend where they are or why they're there. When the horrible truth dawns upon them, they carp and snipe at one another, blaming everyone but themselves for their dismal fate.
Monsieur Calomel
inspecteur Leboeuf
A small-town policeman is informed that "naked women" are dancing in a revue at a local variety theater. Being the guardian of public morals that he is, he decides to stroll on down there and check it out for himself.
Pilate
A publicity-minded French mayor reunites quintuplets and their earthy father, all six played by Fernandel.
M. Boulingrin
Three old friends meet again. They compare their marriages and tell each other stories which illustrate why they complain about their wives.
Cesare Grimaldi, le père, artiste italien
Walking alone and looking desperate, young Marie-Lou is taken in hand by Léo, a street photographer and his squatter friends. They all want to know what happened to her, so to satisfy their curiosity, Marie-Lou starts recounting her unfortunate experiences as a housemaid. On account of adverse circumstances, she tells them, she lost all of the jobs she had in five different families. To crown it all, the young man she has fallen in love with, a brilliant artist, is in prison...
Le garde-champêtre
Emile is a good mechanic whose clientele is very loyal. A bit naive, he is bamboozled by a seller who manages to sell him the full trappings of the perfect fisherman. No sooner did he regret that he bought, frightened by his wife's reaction to such expenditure. But he plans to try it ...
Célosso - le mari espagnol de la comtesse russe
Alfred is in love, but shy. Desperate not to have the audacity to express his passion to the woman of his dreams, Nicole, a young dairyman, he enthusiastically accepts the proposal of Don Juan to make his sentimental education.
Le commissaire de police qui ne dit mot
Tumlatum
Eddy Gorlier
A housekeeper
Celestin works as an organist at a girl's school. By day, Celestin is the meek and mild target of the girls' incessant practical jokes. By night, however, he is the celebrated composer of popular operas -- and the romantic vis-à-vis of a celebrated stage star. When schoolgirl Denise stumbles onto Celestin's secret, she threatens to tell all -- but only if Celestin refuses to escort her to the opening night of his latest opera. As a result, Denise falls in love with a handsome young soldier, while Celestin is accidentally shipped off to an army camp. A series of silly coincidences brings happiness to all concerned by fade-out time.
Un astrologue
Le chef de train
When Mario, a bad boy, is released from prison, he plans to live honestly with his wife Geneviève. But the latter has not waited for him and Mario, out of spite, accepts to work as a tout for Mr. Charlie, the boss of a white slave trade gang. His first assignment consists in seducing Michèle, a Montmartre nightclub singer and hostess, into signing a contract for Tangier. The young woman, however, who does this job only to support her young sister Danièle, falls for him and he for her. From then on Mario, without betraying himself, does his utmost to save Michèle -and Danièle for that matter - from the clutches of the gang...
Mr Marcange, l'auteur de la pièce
The renowned theatre manager, Paul Rémy, is accused by his general secretary Andrieux of having killed his partner. On the advice of his wife Mona, Paul goes into hiding in a psychiatric hospital to escape from the police. But Andrieux seduces Mona who then turns against her husband.
le projectionniste ambulant
Based on the novel by Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette. Friends since infancy, Philippe and Vinea have always regarded themselves as brother and sister. But as adolescence segues into puberty, the two youngsters fall in love.
M. Chanteau
A terminally ill Mr. Bard, a casino bus driver forced to quit his job, miraculously wins a fortune playing roulette. Instantly becoming a millionaire, he wants to fulfill his life's dream: to become a father. This plan is opposed by his greedy relatives who would go any low to take this money away from him. They are being led by a small-time crook. Mr. Bard's natural shyness and good heart lead him to the journey of self-exploration and finding his true love.
Adrien Verduret
Le docteur (as De Funes)
Jules Pinson, photographer in a small provincial village is in love with Annette, the daughter of the grocer. She 's dreaming only heros of adventure movies, so Jules invents a twin brother, Caesar, hunter of lions in Senegal ...
Paul Duvernois
Le photographe Triboudot
In a little town with a renowned college a female student is found after she was hogtied and strangled to death. Inspector Marco is assigned to catch the murderer.
Mr Rachoux, le directeur de la banque
A bank clerk is bored to death with his nine-to-five work under his boss ' watchful eye. His missus is a pain in the neck and his in-laws are not better.
Un Client qui joue aux cartes
Three events that seemingly nothing related, namely the murder of a truck driver, the discovery of the corpse of a vitriolic young woman, and the death of another who was crushed, will launch the Inspector Maréchal on the trail of a prostitution network. The girl-mother Olga, a friend of the trucker, confesses her the underwear of the women's exploitation.
Célestin, le chauffeur de taxi
Romantic comedy about a group of Britons flying to Paris for the weekend.
Mr. Lorette
Le docteur
An American manager and his daughter want to hire "the little singers with the wooden cross" for a tour of the United States,but Jeannot,a young member of the choir recognize his grandma's locket round the girl's neck .
le directeur de l'hôtel
l'employé du laboratoire photo
A young, talented and ambitious journalist, Louis heads off to try his luck in Paris. He's spotted by Walter, editor-in-chief for a major daily newspaper, who takes to him and furthers his career. What he doesn't realise is that Louis is ready to betray anyone to achieve his ends...
Emile, le valet de chambre
La Vie d'un honnête homme English: The Virtuous Scoundrel, is a French comedy drama film from 1953, directed by Sacha Guitry, written by Sacha Guitry, starring Michel Simon and Louis de Funès.
The rivalry between Albert Gambier, head of the municipal brass band, and the jazz band, led by Jacques Hélian, provokes many comic adventures in this small provincial town. Everything will end in songs, thanks to the love uniting Jimmy, the band's composer, and Nicole, Gambier's daughter.
L'interprète-secrétaire du sultan de Hammanlif (uncredited)
A husband who had divorced twice because he had been betrayed by his former wives, takes his precautions to prevent the deed from happening a third time. And yet it does.
le garçon de café qui embrasse Juliette
You never can tell. Jean had always been one of the most confirmed bachelors that kept swearing to anyone that would listen he would never put a ring on a female finger. But that was before he met Juliette, a capricious but irresistibly lovely young woman. Well, what else can you do when you fall dead in love with a creature of the kind? And too bad if their honeymoon proved catastrophic. To say nothing of their housing problems : what to do when neither husband nor wife has any money? How to build one's love nest when the housing crisis rages? How to get by when your wife has luxury tastes?
Le fou qui pêche dans un lavabo
Modest fifty-something, Mr. Perle, is a baker in a small provincial town. He lives there with an authoritarian woman and her cousin, a parasite who poisons his existence. A Parisian notary writes to the hero to ask him to come and take possession of an inheritance. In Paris, Perle meets a pretty adventuress.
The misadventures of Roger Dupont, who passes with great ease from one continent to another, from white men to Africans. Himself in front, depending on the circumstances, to appear white or black.
un client du night-club
Fred, the nephew of a senator,has murdered a Black man on a train. The two only witnesses are Lizzie McKay, a prostitute from New York, and Sidney, a colored man. Fred decides to seduce Lizzie in order to make her give false evidence according to which Sidney has attempted to rape her. The uncle also puts pressure on the young woman. After much hesitation, Lizzie finally accepts but Sidney, who has nearly got lynched, takes refuge at her home...
le peintre de la place du Tertre
An honest taxi driver gets into trouble by looking for a customer who left her purse full of cash in her vehicle.
L'homme qui se fait arracher une dent (uncredited)
Bavaria, 1433. Reason of state rules that Prince Albert is to marry Princess Bertha of Wurtemberg. But the fine-looking young man is loath to become the husband of a woman with pimples,flat feet and no breast. Nevertheless, he has to obey his authoritarian father, Duke Ernest, and accompanied by faithful Count Törring, he mounts his steed and sets out for Würtemberg. Stopping in Augsburg, he falls in love with the daughter of a local barber-surgeon, pure and beautiful Agnès Bernauer. The couple is soon secretly married and both take refuge at the castle of Margravine Josepha, Albert's aunt, waiting for Ernest's consent. Unluckily Albert's father will not accept his son's union with a commoner and Albert, supported by Josepha and an army of common people, declares war on the Duke. They seem about to be victorious when Brother Enrique, a monk formerly in the Holy Inquisition, finds a way to reverse the situation: accusing Agnès of witchcraft...
Mr Cottin, l'homme au chien, membre de l'U.R.A.F
A building, a landing, two tenants: he, Jacques Loursier, is president of the U.R.A.F (Union and Resistance Anti-Woman); she, Eliane Cahuzac, is president of the Association for the Triumph and Independence of Women. Unaware of each other until then, a cold war begins between the two parties. An attempt at conciliation fails then, after many adventures, love triumphs.
Mr. Charles
Noël is a bachelor who inherits a matrimonial agency. After contemplating selling it, he chooses to manage it.
Un habitant du quartier
A railway worker, Leguignon, and his wife are forced to move into a house located in a shaggy part of town. What Leguignon doesn't know is that a group of children have discovered a treasure and keeps it stored in the house. Trouble ensues when he discovers the cache and tries to claim it as his own.
Martin Gaston, the Frenchman (segment "Sloth")
A French/Italian motion picture drama covering the seven deadly sins in seven separate sections.
Le Barman
A secret agent is summoned by the head of a counter espionage organization, to Trieste where he is to unmask a potential enemy operating in Venice.
Albert, le régisseur
Now that the world conflict is over, five inseparable wartime buddies swear eternal friendship now to each other. But there's many a slip 'twixt the cup and the lip. Jean becomes a postman, Marcel a boxer, Roger an actor, André a student and Philippe remains what he has always been, a young man of good social standing. Roger, who can't find any role, is introduced through his singer sister Valérie, to Frédo, a shady nightclub owner.Roger soon becomes one of Frédo's henchmen. To make matters worse, he swipes Jean's fiancée, Simone. Marcel, who loses fight after fight, ends up joining Fredo's gang as well. André, who wanted to redeem the faults of his father during the Occupation, gets killed in the Indochina war. Marcel is shot down while taking part in a robbery. In her turn, Valérie is bumped off by an accomplice of Fredo and Roger is sent to jail.
Le skieur qui cherche une chambre d'hôtel
Raymond Corbier, a sculptor, has a wonderful wife, Sylvia, whom he adores. To save a passionate admirer who simulates suicide because she does not respond to her advances, Sylvia, an irreproachable wife, is forced to lie for the first time to Raymond.
André
Paul Braconnier and his wife Blandine only have one thing in mind: to find a way to kill each other without risk. After listening to a radio show, Paul decides to go to Paris to meet a famous lawyer in the acquittal of the murderers. He tells the lawyer that he killed his wife. The lawyer asks Paul to reconstruct the circumstances of the drama. Without knowing it, he explains, in spite of himself, the way for Paul to murder his wife by putting the odds on his side to avoid death penalty or even be released...
Le gérant
Paris at the Belle Epoque. Monsieur de Pontagnac, a perfect honest man, loves pretty women too much and that plays him many tricks. What need does he have to follow the pretty Lucienne Vatelin, home, to find himself in the presence of the husband, the notary Vatelin, who is part of his circle? From there, many characters will meet, avoid each other, find each other. Adultery, domestic scenes and reconciliation will be their lot.
The counselor
Annie, the ward of Monsieur Joachim, a nightclub manager, has fallen in love with Philippe Lebon, a singer who could easily re-float her guardian's failing business. The trouble is that Joachim has already - and hurriedly - betrothed Annie to his business partner. To make matters worse the young lady suspects Philippe of being unfaithful. In order to thwart the wedding of Annie and his rival, Philippe hires two of his friends, the resourceful Beaudubec and Tracassin.
l'employé d'Air France
As part of the fascination in post World War II France with American culture, a young French couple here travel to the US to see for themselves the prosperity they have heard about.
Thief
Evanella, who writes the “Horoscope” section of a major newspaper, and her brother Méristo, create with the help of a young journalist, Jean Lassère and the capital of their uncle Amédée, a “Bureau des Prédictions”. Success being expected, they manage to obtain revelations about a gang of gangsters which they publish as predictions. It is success and fortune. Jean marries the newspaper director's daughter and Evanella the director himself.
The lock keeper
A woman who has a terrible secret to conceal takes refuge on a barge.
Le Pêcheur
To find the heritage of his friend Catherine's ancestors, the leaping Bibi Fricotin, helped by the seer Fatma, goes through a thousand funny or comical adventures, thanks to multiple means of transport, ranging from the bicycle to the helicopter. Despite the pitfalls sown in her path by the young girl's uncle and aunt, the Tartazans, the inheritance will be found with a museum curator.
Anatole, le mari soupçonneux
Victor Boniface's life is not exactly a rest cure. Just imagine: Victor is both a store detective and a ... shoplifter (only when he walks in his sleep, mind you)! And falling in love while sleepwalking is no bed of roses either, as the good-natured man simply forgets everything after waking up. Fortunately love wins the game in the end. Does that mean that life will become as easy as pie ? Certainly not: the little Bonifaces will be sleepwalkers just like their daddy!
Le malade qui a perdu 100 grammes (uncredited)
Saint-Maurice, an ordinary peaceful village, lived healthily so much so that the local doctor's practice was scant. But that was before Dr. Parpalaid retired and was replaced by a charlatan by the name of Knock. A real genius this one, for he soon managed to persuade everyone that they were ill. And not only didn't they resent him but they even loved their physician, who made a fortune and brought prosperity to the village by turning it into a big hospital.
Le poète qui mange les verres
The Jacques Brothers, their temporary replacements, Yves Gérard and his troupe, as well as a famous movie star looking for a new partner, Evelyne Dorsey, are causing disruption at the "La Rose rouge" cabaret, the most famous cellar in Saint-Germain-des-Prés, to the delight of regulars.
Le futur papa qui lit le journal
A woman in Paris hires a taxi driver to locate her ex-lover, father to her newborn child, who left her without leaving an address.
Bruno, the psychiatrist
The wife of gunsmith Gaston Sarazin cheats on him with his salesman. The husband, informed, wants revenge. The culprits try to divert suspicion on the dashing Stanislas. The husband forces the straw lover to live with him. Stanislas then brings the spouses together and makes the business of the gunsmith prosper.
Le père autoritaire
Even back in 1951, boys knew more about cars than their dads.
Piotr Petrovitch Shvokhnev
Adaptation of classical Russian Nikolai Gogol's comedy.
Hippolyte
The eccentric characters of a street from the comic designs of Andre Dubout are brought to life with human performers instead of drawings.
Mr. Vincent, le quincaillier (uncredited)
Jean-Louis forgets to use the pedestrian crossing;Who could have believed then where it would lead the unfortunate guy to?
Pierre Chambrac, a French industrialist, and Canadian Paul Laforêt, two former brothers in arms, meet again by chance in Paris five years after the end of World War II. Pierre is engaged to a beautiful foreign young lady by the name of Helen Bering. He introduces her to his friend, which seems to trouble him. To his amazement, Helen and Paul disappear without notice. Pierre, who was beginning to feel jealous, sees his suspicion confirmed. He decides to fly to Montreal where he thinks the couple has taken refuge. Once there, he learns that his dear Helen is actually a criminal and that Paul is a policeman whose duty was to arrest her.
Gino
Prosper Bourrache, who has the gift of the gab, is natural born street vendor. Due to a mistake he gets involved in the burglary of a shady banker's house. In fact, the whole operation is a setup. But Prosper will finally get away with it, have the crooked financier arrested and pinch his girlfriend away from him.
Soldier (uncredited)
The peasant Adémaï, returning home, gets lost in the forest and knocks down a border post. In his haste to replant it, he installs it upside down.
The waiter
Robert Bobin has been an assistant accountant for twenty years now and, although meek and obedient, is getting weary of his monotonous, limited life. He tries marriage but, unfortunately, Blanche, the nurse he marries, proves to be a shrew. One day, a miracle happens : Michèle, a young orphan and fellow-worker gradually develops tender feelings for him. But will Robert be able to overcome his mediocrity and grasp this unexpected opportunity to find happiness?
Thomas Boudeboeuf, journaliste à L'Avenir Sauveterrois
Documents relevant to National Defence have been concealed in a certain vase by a dangerous gang of robbers. To neutralize the criminals, a seasoned police commissioner and his clumsy assistant, young inspector César, join forces with a colorful trio of thieves nicknamed Le Pouce (Thumb), L'Index (Index Finger) and Le Majeur (Middle Finger)...
The honeymoon in Italy of Guillaume and Eugénie de Puycharmois escorted by friend Sainfoin, a second-hand driver. Sainfoin's humor displeases Eugenie. Guillaume takes the wheel in such a way that it is necessary to hire a "driver", Yolande. Jealous, Eugenie asks Sainfoin to conquer Yolande. In the working car, two happy couples drive through the Italian landscapes.
Constantin, domestique du baron
The announcement of the future marriage of Franck Reno, the star singer, causes considerable excitement around the world.
Un spectateur
The life of Adrien Wettach, famous in the annals of the circus under the name of Grock, world famous Swiss clown. A series of images from Épinal, retracing the career of a European artist, within the framework of world history. Lots of children, wars, an eccentric Russian countess, Countess Barinoff, who grows old admiring the clown, and a very long quibble about a party wall, all serve to highlight the star's final number.
L'avocat de Philippe
A typographer makes a mistake by printing the winning number of the national lottery. Many people believe they have won the jackpot. Pursued by his newspaper editor, the worker appears in court where all mystified people are invited to testify.
(uncredited)
Satire of publishing circles, featuring a ferocious boss, Moscat, a successful but handsome author, Maréchal, another successful but bitter author, Bourgine, a writer plagued with ambition, Brégaillon and the hero, Marc Fournier Zola Prize winner. Naive, the latter quickly becomes formidable, especially since his wife's infidelities have provided him with the material for a new novel.
Le chef d'orchestre
Ronaldo, a singer with the growing reputation dedicating himself body and soul to his art, sacrificing his marriage.
Le général espagnol au cabaret
During the Second World War, Georges Masse undergoes a dangerous mission by taking secret documents from Tangiers to London.
L'astrologue
A chronicle of the life of Bertrand du Guesclin, grand officer of the French army in the 14th century.
The cook (uncredited)
Kohlman, the attorney for the Fournil bank, diverts money from the institution. To hide his malpractices, he imagines to remove the director, the young and overconfident Clement Fournil, during a cruise at sea on the yacht Emile Frechisse.
Émile le garçon épicier et un invité à la noce
She's working in a big store, he's a typographer and they lost their winning lottery ticket.
The Driver
Philippe and Sylvie have to do with Alvarez, a dangerous gang leader. They break up with him and commit robbery and murder. Sylvie suggests that Philippe take refuge in his quiet family. His younger sister Antoinette attracts and charms Philippe and excites the jealousy of Sylvie who informs Alvarez. The police get involved and Philippe is killed during a merciless fight.
Le client du bar qui reçoit Yolande dans ses bras ("scène avec N. Nattier et J. Marchat")
Rather than commit suicide, it is better to stay at the clinic of Professor Patureau-Duparc. This practitioner experiments on his clients with a serum that modifies their personality. Thus Yolande and Albert become new Romeo and Juliet. They end up marrying each other after having regained their primitive selves. Their married life is then a hell and they welcome with joy the proposal of a new injection of serum.
Le chauffeur de son excellence
A traveller is stuck in an unknown town because his connecting train will only arrive in six hours. He decides to kill time by taking a stroll. He is not prepared to get confused with somebody else. In fact the citizens are eagerly awaiting the visit of a famous man and the clueless traveller is his doppelgänger. Soon he experiences what that means.
le portier du cabaret "Le Paradis"
Daniel Gelin and Juliette Faber star as a blissfully happy honeymooning couple. They are so happy that they arouse the jealous attentions of Satan. The Dark Prince sends an emissary to beak up the romance, but his advocate is promptly challenged by a representative from "up above."
'Hunk' Marriner (VFF voice)
Based on the Kenneth Roberts novel of the same name, this film tells the story of two friends who join Rogers' Rangers, as the legendary elite force engages the enemy during the French and Indian War. The film focuses on their famous raid at Fort St. Francis and their marches before and after the battle.
