MOVIE MONDAY - OSCAR

“The person who can bring the spirit of laughter into a room is indeed blessed.” - Bennett Cerf

At the weekend we watched a film that reminded me of my childhood. It was a French farce of the 1960s with the French comedian par excellence of those times, Louis de Funès (1914-1983). If you have never heard of him or seen him, something closer to home perhaps, the character "Skinner" in the animated film “Ratatouille” (2007) was loosely based on him. He is a very funny man, M. de Funès and the film we watched was one well-suited to his talents. I had not seen this film before, but had watched several others of his when growing up in Greece in the 60s. When I found this DVD, needless to say I bought it and have not regretted it, as it was full of laughs.

The movie is “Oscar” (1967) and is from the play by Claude Magnier. It is typical farce, an exaggerated comedy, full of coincidences, extremes, zany characters, non-stop action and overacting. It is conventional and not so original, but it works. It works because all the actors play well, but the gem of the show is Louis de Funès. He plays M. Bertrand Barnier, a successful and rich real estate agent who lives with his wife, daughter, maid, butler and chauffeur in a very new, very expensive house in the lap of luxury. Out of the blue, one of his junior employees, Christian Martin (played by Claude Rich) comes to his house early one morning and has the gall to blackmail him. It turns out that Christian wants to marry his boss’s daughter. But that’s not all, he also discloses that he has diddled M. Barnier out of 60 million francs, which he has used to buy a collection of magnificent jewellery, which he keeps in an innocuous-looking black valise.

M. Barnier’s dismay, surprise and discomfiture turn to something more threatening for his mental health when his daughter reveals that she is pregnant, but not to Christian. Rather, it is Oscar, M. Barnier’s chauffeur who is her true love. Add to this mayhem an unflappable and scatty wife (excellently played by Claude Gensac), a dim masseur, an ever-suffering butler and a social climbing maid. Oh, and did I mention another two black valises identical to the one containing the jewels? Well yes, but one of them contains 60 million in cash and another contains the maid’s clothing and underwear. That and several more surprises including Jacqueline and a mystery woman who applies for the vacant maid’s position. The pace is frenetic, the French word-plays funny and the situations amusing and constantly evolving comedically.

The film is available on DVD with English subtitles and well worth a look if you come across it.