''Deputy Eusèbe'' (French: ''Eusèbe député'') is a 1939 French

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

André Berthomieu André Berthomieu (16 February 1903 – 10 April 1960) was a French screenwriter and film director. He was married to the actress Line Noro. Selected filmography Director * '' Not So Stupid'' (1928) * '' The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard'' (1929) * ...

and starring Michel Simon,

Elvire Popesco Elvira Popescu (; in French, Elvire Popesco; 10 May 1894 – 11 December 1993) was a Romanian- French stage and film actress and theatre director. During the 1930s and 1940s, she starred in a number of French comedy films. Life and career P ...

and

Jules Berry Jules Berry (born Marie Louis Jules Paufichet; 9 February 1883 – 23 April 1951) was a French actor. Biography Early life Berry and his two brothers were born to parents who sold hardware and settled in Poitou. The family moved to Paris in 188 ...

.Bessy & Chirat p.429 The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Robert Gys Robert Gys (1901–1977) was a French art director.O'Shaughnessy p.238 Selected filmography * '' Imperial Violets'' (1924) * ''The Phantom of the Moulin Rouge'' (1925) * ''Miss Europe'' (1930) * ''Dance Hall'' (1931) * '' The Dream'' (1931) * '' ...

Synopsis

Eusèbe Bonbonneau, a

solicitor A solicitor is a legal practitioner who traditionally deals with most of the legal matters in some jurisdictions. A person must have legally-defined qualifications, which vary from one jurisdiction to another, to be described as a solicitor and ...

's clerk, discovers that a candidate is running for

Chamber of Deputies The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures. Description Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourbon R ...

. It becomes clear that a corrupt businessman is pushing a candidate, having usurped his identity, in order to secure backing for a new

casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...

project. The real Eusèbe goes to

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

to investigate and is persuaded by the flamboyant

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek ...

Mariska to really stand in the election. He wins and is elected as a

deputy Deputy or depute may refer to: * Steward (office) * Khalifa, an Arabic title that can signify "deputy" * Deputy (legislator), a legislator in many countries and regions, including: ** A member of a Chamber of Deputies, for example in Italy, Spai ...

where he becomes an unwitting tool of corrupt interests.

Cast

* Michel Simon as Eusèbe Bonbonneau *

as Mariska *

as Félix Jacassar *

Marguerite Moreno Marguerite Moreno (born Lucie Marie Marguerite Monceau; 15 September 1871, Paris - 14 July 1948, Touzac, Lot) was a French stage and film actress. On 12 September 1900, in England, she married the writer Marcel Schwob, whom she had met in 189 ...

as Émilie Bonbonneau *

André Lefaur André Lefaur (25 July 1879 – 5 December 1952) was a French film and theatre actor, notably working several times with director Sacha Guitry. Partial filmography * ''La Vénus d'Arles'' (1911) * ''L'homme qui assassina'' (1913) * ''Ainsi v ...

as Le comte de Marignan *

Gaston Dubosc Gaston Dubosc (1861–1941) was a French stage and film actor.Goble p.38 Selected filmography * '' A Gentleman of the Ring'' (1932) * '' A Son from America'' (1932) * ''The Red Robe'' (1933) * ''Once Upon a Time'' (1933) * '' A Day Will Come'' (1 ...

as Le notaire *

Marcelle Rexiane Marcelle may refer to: *Marcelle, a French feminine version of Marcel * 1300 Marcelle (1934 CL), a main-belt asteroid *Groupe Marcelle A group is a military unit or a military formation that is most often associated with military aviation. A ...

as La secrétaire *

René Bergeron René ('' born again'' or ''reborn'' in French) is a common first name in French-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and German-speaking countries. It derives from the Latin name Renatus. René is the masculine form of the name (Renée being the feminin ...

as Pinson *

Albert Broquin Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia * Albert Productions, a record label * Albert ...

as Le régisseur * Hugues de Bagratide as Un invité * Henri de Livry as Le patron du restaurant * Paul Demange as Le concierge * Georges Douking as Firmin *

Louis Florencie Louis Florencie (4 December 1896 – 4 December 1951) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1927 and 1951. Selected filmography * ''Companion Wanted'' (1932) * ''Beauty Spot (film), Beauty Spot'' (1932) * ''Suza ...

as Le ministre *

Édouard Francomme Édouard is both a French given name and a surname, equivalent to Edward in English. Notable people with the name include: * Édouard Balladur (born 1929), French politician * Édouard Boubat (1923–1999), French photographer * Édouard Colonne (1 ...

as Un électeur *

Jean Heuzé Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * J ...

as Le commissaire *

Jean Hébey Jean Hébey (1916–1992) was a French Algerian film actor.Capua p.163 Selected filmography * ''Le bébé de l'escadron'' (1935) * ''Bichon'' (1936) - Jacques Fontanges * ''Les grands'' (1936) * ''Counsel for Romance'' (1936) - Fil-de-fer / Slim ...

as Le maître d'hôtel *

Gaston Mauger Gaston Mauger (13 March 1878 – 18 October 1954) was a French stage and film actor. He made around forty film appearances, including the 1932 thriller '' Narcotics''.Youngkin p.465 Selected filmography * ''The Queen's Necklace'' (1929) * '' Acc ...

as Gaburon * Marthe Mussine as Yvonne Solange *

Jane Pierson Jane Pierson was a French film actress.Goble p.130 She appeared in fifty five films between 1924 and 1952. Selected filmography * ''The Imaginary Voyage'' (1926) * '' Captain Rascasse'' (1927) * '' The Marriage of Mademoiselle Beulemans'' (1927) ...

as L'habilleuse * Robert Seller as L'acteur

References

Bibliography

* Bessy, Maurice & Chirat, Raymond. ''Histoire du cinéma français: encyclopédie des films, Volume 2''. Pygmalion, 1986. * Crisp, Colin. ''Genre, Myth and Convention in the French Cinema, 1929-1939''. Indiana University Press, 2002. * Rège, Philippe. ''Encyclopedia of French Film Directors, Volume 1''. Scarecrow Press, 2009.

External links

* 1939 films French comedy films 1939 comedy films 1930s French-language films French black-and-white films 1930s French films Films directed by André Berthomieu Films set in Paris {{1930s-France-film-stub