''The Bureaucrats'' (French: ''Messieurs les ronds de cuir'') is a 1959 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 Henri Diamant-Berger and starring Noël-Noël,

Philippe Clay Philippe Clay (7 March 1927 – 13 December 2007), born Philippe Mathevet, was a French mime artist, singer and actor. He was known for his tall and slim silhouette (he was 1.90 m tall) and for his interpretations of songs by Charles Aznavour, C ...

and Jean Richard.Oscherwitz & Higgins p.143 It was shot at the Billancourt Studios in

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 ...

. The film's art direction was by Roger Briaucourt. It is a remake of the 1936 film of the same title, with both based on a novel by

Georges Courteline Georges Courteline born Georges Victor Marcel Moinaux (25 June 1858 – 25 June 1929) was a French dramatist and novelist, a satirist notable for his sharp wit and cynical humor. Biography His family moved from Tours in Indre-et-Loire to Pari ...

Partial cast

* Noël-Noël as M. de la Hourmerie *

as Letondu * Jean Richard as Boudin * Jacques Grello as Chavarax * Paul Demange as Ovide *

Bernard Lavalette Bernard Lavalette (20 January 1926 – 14 December 2019) was a French film and television actor.Ince p.164 Partial filmography * ''Sans famille'' (1958) - Le brigadier * '' The Bureaucrats'' (1959) - Van Der Hogen * ''La Belle Américaine'' (1 ...

as Van Der Hogen *

Lucien Baroux Lucien Baroux (born Marcel Lucien Barou; 21 September 1888 in Toulouse – 21 May 1968 in Hossegor) was a French actor. He began his career working in the theatre, moving on to a long career in films from the 1930s. In the field of musical comed ...

as Le père Soupe *

Pierre Brasseur Pierre Brasseur (22 December 1905 – 16 August 1972), born Pierre-Albert Espinasse, was a French actor. Biography The son of actors Georges Espinasse and Germaine Brasseur, the latter a cousin of Albert Brasseur; his grandfather, Jules B ...

as M. Nègre *

Pierre Doris Pierre Doris (1919–2009) was a French actor and humorist. Selected filmography * ''Comme un cheveu sur la soupe'' (1957) - Le chasseur du 'Néant' * ''Love Is at Stake'' (1957) - Le publiciste * ''Le triporteur'' (1957) - Le voyageur à la de ...

as Léonce * Jean Poiret as René Lahrier *

Micheline Dax Micheline Dax (3 March 1924 – 27 April 2014) was a French film and stage actress and singer. She did the voice to Ursula in the French dub in Disney's "The Little Mermaid". The Paris-born actress was born Micheline Josette Renée Etevenon. Sh ...

as Gaby * Mathilde Casadesus as Mme Nègre *

Robert Burnier Robert Burnier (1897–1974) was a French film actor.Goble p.920 Selected filmography * '' When Do You Commit Suicide?'' (1931) * '' Let's Get Married'' (1931) * '' Miche'' (1932) * '' The Porter from Maxim's'' (1933) * '' Ciboulette'' (1933) * ...

as Rodolphe Salis *

Madeleine Suffel Madeleine Suffel (1899–1974) was a French film and stage actress.Palmer & Michael p.274 She played supporting roles in a number of films from the early 1930s onwards. Selected filmography * '' A Rare Bird'' (1935) * '' School for Coquettes'' ( ...

as Mme de La Hourmerie *

Hubert Deschamps Hubert Deschamps (13 September 1923 – 29 December 1998) was a French actor. He was the son of the museum curator Paul Deschamps (1888–1974) and uncle of the French stage director Jérôme Deschamps. Selected filmography * ''The Strol ...

as Le curé dans le train *

Jean Parédès Jean Parédès (1914–1998) was a French film actor.Hayward p.145 Selected filmography * ''Three from St Cyr'' (1939) - Bréval * ''The Fatted Calf'' (1939) - Albert - le garçon de café * ''La Charrette fantôme'' (1939) - Un salutiste (uncre ...

as Gorguchon

References

Bibliography

* Dayna Oscherwitz & MaryEllen Higgins. ''The A to Z of French Cinema''. Scarecrow Press, 2009.

External links

* 1959 films French comedy films 1959 comedy films 1950s French-language films Films directed by Henri Diamant-Berger 1950s French films Films shot at Billancourt Studios Remakes of French films Films based on French novels {{1950s-France-film-stub