''L'Étrange Désir de monsieur Bard'' ( en, The Strange Desire of Mr. Bard), is a French

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

film from 1954, directed by

Géza von Radványi Géza von Radványi (born Géza Grosschmid; 26 September 1907 – 27 November 1986) was a Hungarian film director, cinematographer, producer and writer. Biography Born Géza Grosschmid, he took the name Radványi from his paternal grandmother. ...

, written by

, starring

Michel Simon Michel Simon (; 9 April 1895 – 30 May 1975) was a Swiss-French actor. He appeared in many notable French films, including ''La Chienne'' (1931), ''Boudu Saved from Drowning'' (1932), ''L'Atalante'' (1934), '' Port of Shadows'' (1938), '' The H ...

and

Louis de Funès Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza (; 31 July 1914 – 27 January 1983) was a French actor and comedian. He is France's favourite actor, according to a series of polls conducted since the late 1960s, having played over 150 roles in fil ...

Plot

Auguste Bard is a bus driver who lives alone because women don't find him attractive. He suffers with a heart condition and eventually he is told by his doctor that he has only a short time left to live. He decides to take an early retirement. Then he wins a huge amount of money at a

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 ...

and can afford to pay the professional dancer Donata to keep him company.

Cast

: Auguste Bard * Yves Deniaud: Antonio *

Geneviève Page Geneviève Page (born Geneviève Bonjean, 13 December 1927) is a French actress with a film career spanning fifty years and also numerous English-speaking film productions. She is the daughter of French art collector Jacques Paul Bonjean (1899– ...

: Donata *

Georgette Anys Georgette Anys (15 July 1909 – 4 March 1993) was a French film and television actress. A character actress, she appeared mainly in French productions, but also some American films which were shot in Europe including Alfred Hitchcock's ''To Catch ...

: Julie *

: Monsieur Chanteau * Paul Demange: the nervous doctor *

Paul Frankeur Paul Frankeur (29 June 1905 - 27 October 1974) was a French actor who appeared in films by Jacques Tati (''Jour de fête'') and Luis Buñuel (''The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie'' and ''The Phantom of Liberty''). He was sometimes credited a ...

: the priest *

: Donata Francescati, the dancer *

Henri Crémieux Henri Crémieux (19 July 1896 – 10 May 1980) was a French actor. He appeared in more than a hundred films between 1930 and 1980. Selected filmography External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Cremieux, Henri 1896 births 1980 deaths Male ac ...

: Ernest, the grocer *

Henri Arius Henri Arius (1897–1968) was a French film and stage actor. Crisp p.176 A character actor he appeared in a large number of films in wartime and post-war France. Selected filmography * '' Jeannou'' (1943) * ''Rooster Heart'' (1946) * ''Inspector ...

: the commissioner *

Lucien Callamand Lucien Callamand born Lucien Marie Pascal Eugène Callamand (April 1, 1888, in Marseille – December 3, 1968, in Nice, Alpes-Maritimes) was one of the earliest French film actors whose career spanned six decades of French cinema. Between 1909 ...

: the notary *

Emma Lyonel Emma may refer to: * Emma (given name) Film * ''Emma'' (1932 film), a comedy-drama film by Clarence Brown * ''Emma'' (1996 theatrical film), a film starring Gwyneth Paltrow * ''Emma'' (1996 TV film), a British television film starring Kate Be ...

: the directrices *

Colette Ricard Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (; 28 January 1873 – 3 August 1954), known mononymously as Colette, was a French author and woman of letters. She was also a mime, actress, and journalist. Colette is best known in the English-speaking world for her ...

: Béatrice, the daughter of Julie and Ernest *

Jacques Erwin Jacques Erwin (born Herwin Frédéric Roger Follot; 22 December 1908 – 7 April 1957) was a French film and stage actor. Filmography * 1931: '' Moon Over Morocco'' by Julien Duvivier as Midlock * 1931: '' Tossing Ship'' by Jean de La Cour a ...

: the bailiff at the casino * François Carron: the doctor at the maternity ward *

Maurice Bénard Maurice may refer to: People *Saint Maurice (died 287), Roman legionary and Christian martyr *Maurice (emperor) or Flavius Mauricius Tiberius Augustus (539–602), Byzantine emperor *Maurice (bishop of London) (died 1107), Lord Chancellor and Lo ...

: the casino manager *

Yvonne Claudie Yvonne is a female given name. It is the feminine form of Yvon, which is derived from the French name Yves and Yvette. It is from the French word ''iv'', meaning "yew" (or tree). Since yew wood was used for bows, Ivo may have been an occupatio ...

: Caroline * Félix Clément or Jean Clément: the first doctor * Michel Gerbier: the little boy * Claude Ermelli * Colette Ravel *

Jacques Robin Ancient and noble French family names, Jacques, Jacq, or James are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over ...

References

External links

*
L’Étrange désir de Monsieur Bard (1953)
at the ''Films de France''
L'Étrange Désir de monsieur Bard
at Uni France films 1954 films French drama films 1950s French-language films French black-and-white films Films directed by Géza von Radványi Films with screenplays by René Barjavel 1954 drama films 1950s French films {{1950s-France-film-stub