''The New Rich'' (French: ''Les Nouveaux Riches'') is a 1938 French comedy film 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 Raimu, Michel Simon and

Betty Stockfeld Betty Stockfeld (15 January 190527 January 1966), often misspelled "Stockfield", was an Australian film actress. She appeared mostly in British and French films. Betty was the daughter of Sydney businessman Harry Hooper Stockfeld and Susan Eli ...

. Rège p.164 It is based on a 1917 stage

farce Farce is a comedy that seeks to entertain an audience through situations that are highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd, and improbable. Farce is also characterized by heavy use of physical humor; the use of deliberate absurdity o ...

of the same title by Charles Albert Abadie and Raymond de Cesse. It was shot at the

Saint-Maurice Studios Saint-Maurice is the name or part of the name of places. It refers to the legendary Saint Maurice. Canada * Saint-Maurice (Lower Canada), an electoral district 1792–1838 * Saint-Maurice (Province of Canada), an electoral district 1841–1867 * ...

in Paris. 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 ...

Jacques Colombier Jacques Colombier is a French politician and a member of National Front (France), National Front. As the FN's top candidate in Aquitaine in the 2004 French regional elections, 2004 regional elections he won 11.45% of the votes in the first round ...

and Eugène Lourié.

Synopsis

Legendre and Martinet are former workers who have become successful business leaders after winning the

lottery A lottery is a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of ...

. Martinet manages to gain control of their former factory in revenge against their employer, while Legendre is targeted by a chancer who wants him to fund a film starring his girlfriend the attractive Betty. When Legendre discovers that Martinet has mismanaged the factory, he launches a takeover bid and replaces him with his son Georges.

Cast

* Raimu as Legendre * Michel Simon as Martinet *

as Betty *

Fernand Fabre Fernand Fabre (1899–1987) was a French stage, television and film actor.Goble p.49 Selected filmography * ''The Queen's Necklace'' (1929) * '' The Indictment'' (1931) * ''Luck'' (1931) * ''The Weaker Sex'' (1933) * ''Madame Bovary'' (1934) * '' ...

as Fronsac *

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 Chevalier *

Raymond Segard Raymond is a male given name. It was borrowed into English from French (older French spellings were Reimund and Raimund, whereas the modern English and French spellings are identical). It originated as the Germanic ᚱᚨᚷᛁᚾᛗᚢᚾᛞ ( ...

as Georges Martinet *

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 Saturnin *

Jean Joffre Jean Joffre (1872–1944) often styled simply as Joffre was a French film actor, film and stage actor. Crisp p.192 A character actor he played a variety of supporting roles in theatre and the cinema during his career. His final screen appearance w ...

as Ancelier * Poussard as Simon *

Marcel Maupi Marcel Maupi, stage name of Marcel Louis Alexandre Barberin or Maupi, (6 November 1881, Marseille – 4 January 1949, Antibes) was a French actor. Selected filmography * ''Dance Hall'' (1931) * '' Marius'' (1931) * '' Fanny'' (1932) * '' The Iron ...

as Jules * Katia Lova as Evelyne Ancelier *

Germaine Charley Germaine Charley (1887–1959) was a French stage actor, stage and film actress.Goble p.50 Selected filmography * ''The Regiment's Champion'' (1932) * ''Bach the Millionaire'' (1933) * ''The Uncle from Peking'' (1934) * ''Barnabé (film), Barnab� ...

as Mme Legendre

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

* 1938 films French comedy films 1938 comedy films 1930s French-language films French black-and-white films 1930s French films Films directed by André Berthomieu French films based on plays Films scored by Marceau Van Hoorebecke {{1930s-France-film-stub