''The Voyage to America'' (French: ''Le Voyage en Amérique'') is a 1951 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 Lavorel Henri-Albert-Sylvestre Lavorel (5 July 19147 January 1955) was born in Annecy, Haute-Savoie and was married to the English actress Madeleine Carroll from 1946 to 1949. Lavorel died in a car crash in Versailles (city), Versailles in 1955 aged 40. ...

and starring

Pierre Fresnay Pierre Fresnay (4 April 1897 – 9 January 1975) was a French stage and film actor. Biography Born Pierre Jules Louis Laudenbach, he was encouraged by his uncle, actor Claude Garry, to pursue a career in theater and film. He joined the company a ...

Yvonne Printemps Yvonne Printemps (; born Yvonne Wigniolle; 25 July 1894 – 19 January 1977) was a French singer and actress who achieved stardom on stage and screen in France and internationally. Printemps went on the stage in Paris at the age of 12, and ...

and

Jean Brochard Jean Brochard (12 March 1893 – 17 June 1972) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1933 and 1966. Selected filmography * '' A Man's Neck'' (1933) - Petit rôle (uncredited) * ''Boubouroche'' (1933) * ''La ...

. The film contrasts the prosperity of France and the United States in the post-

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

era It replaced the

Laurel and Hardy Laurel and Hardy were a British-American Double act, comedy duo act during the early Classical Hollywood cinema, Classical Hollywood era of American cinema, consisting of Englishman Stan Laurel (1890–1965) and American Oliver Hardy (1892–19 ...

film ''

Atoll K ''Atoll K'' is a 1951 Franco-Italian international co-production, co-production film—also known as ''Robinson Crusoeland'' in the United Kingdom and ''Utopia'' in the United States – which starred the comedy duo Laurel and Hardy in their final ...

'' at the

Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...

cinema 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 ...

, and was much more successful.Aping p.258

Synopsis

A couple living a peaceful life in rural France, learn that their daughter who married an American GI is due to give birth to a grandchild. They head to the United States to visit, to the delight of the wife.

Cast

as Gaston Fournier *

as Clotilde Fournier *

as the mayor *

Claude Laydu Claude Laydu (; 10 March 1927 – 29 July 2011) was a Belgian-born Swiss actor on stage and in films. He was renowned for his performance in his film debut in the role of the young priest in Robert Bresson's '' Diary of a Country Priest'' (1951 ...

as François Soalhat *

Olivier Hussenot Olivier Hussenot (10 September 1913 – 25 August 1978) was a French theatre and film actor. Career The actor appeared in French, Italian and American films. Selected filmography References External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hussenot, Oliv ...

as Mr Soalhat, the gardener * Jane Morlet as Marie * Yvette Etievant as the post clerk *

Lisette Lebon Lisette may refer to: People: *Jean Lisette Aroeste (1932-2020), ''Star Trek'' fan who sold scripts to the program *Lisette de Brinon (1896–1982), the Jewish wife of the pro-Nazi French collaborator, Fernand de Brinon * Lisette Burrows, New Zeal ...

as Marguerite *

Claire Gérard Clair or Claire may refer to: *Claire (given name), a list of people with the name Claire * Clair (surname) Places Canada * Clair, New Brunswick, a former village, now part of Haut-Madawaska * Clair Parish, New Brunswick * Pointe-Claire, Q ...

as Mrs Tassote *

Maurice Jacquemont 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 ...

as the priest *

Pierre Destailles Pierre Destailles (1909–1990) was a French film, stage and television actor. He was also a noted lyricist.Cenciarelli p.249 Selected filmography * '' Dropped from Heaven'' (1946) * '' Mission in Tangier'' (1949) * '' Suzanne and the Robbers' ...

as the cook * Christian Fourcade as the rascal *

Madeleine Barbulée Madeleine Barbulée (2 September 1910 – 1 January 2001) was a French film, stage and television actress.''French Cinema in the 1970s: The Echoes of May'' p.265 Selected filmography * ''Métier de fous'' (1948) * '' Les Casse Pieds'' (1948) - ...

as the housekeeper *

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 ...

as the employee of Air France *

Léon Larive Léon François Larive (28 June 1886 – 20 July 1961) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1923 and 1961. Selected filmography * ''Two Timid Souls'' (1928) * ''The Great Passion'' (1928) * ''La Passion de Jea ...

as Le caissier *

Eugène Frouhins Eugène Frouhins (1888–1966) was a French stage and film actor.Histoire du cinéma français p.112 Selected filmography * ''Fanfare of Love'' (1935) * ''Sing Anyway'' (1940) * '' Annette and the Blonde Woman'' (1942) * ''Devil and the Angel'' ( ...

as L'huissier *

Gabriel Gobin Gabriel Gobin (12 May 1903 – 9 February 1998) was a Belgian film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1947 and 1990. He was born in Hacquegnies, Belgium and died in Brie-Comte-Robert, France. Selected filmography * ''Quai de ...

as Employé du car *

Émile Genevois Émile Genevois (1 January 1918 – 19 September 1962) was a French film actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in mode ...

as Le facteur *

Fernand Gilbert Fernand is a masculine given name of French origin. The feminine form is Fernande. Fernand may refer to: People Given name * Fernand Augereau (1882–1958), French cyclist * Fernand Auwera (1929–2015), Belgian writer * Fernand Baldet (1885– ...

as Le client de la banque * Jean Valmence as L'architecte

References

Bibliography

* Aping, Norbert. ''The Final Film of Laurel and Hardy: A Study of the Chaotic Making and Marketing of Atoll K''. McFarland, 2014. * Prime, Rebecca. ''Hollywood Exiles in Europe: The Blacklist and Cold War Film Culture''. Rutgers University Press, 2014.

External links

* 1951 films French comedy films 1950s French-language films French black-and-white films Films with screenplays by Roland Laudenbach 1951 comedy films 1950s French films {{1950s-France-film-stub