''Monsieur'' is a 1964 French-Italian-West German

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

Jean-Paul Le Chanois Jean-Paul Étienne Dreyfus, better known as Jean-Paul Le Chanois (25 October 1909 – 8 July 1985), was a French film director, screenwriter and actor. His film '' ...Sans laisser d'adresse'' won the Golden Bear (Comedies) award at the 1st ...

and starring

Jean Gabin Jean Gabin (; 17 May 190415 November 1976) was a French actor and singer. Considered a key figure in French cinema, he starred in several classic films including ''Pépé le Moko'' (1937), ''La grande illusion'' (1937), ''Le Quai des brumes'' ( ...

Liselotte Pulver Liselotte Pulver (born 11 October 1929), sometimes credited as Lilo Pulver, is a Swiss actress. Pulver was one of the biggest stars of German cinema in the 1950s and 1960s, where she often was cast as a tomboy. She is well known for her hearty an ...

and

Mireille Darc Mireille Darc (; 15 May 1938 – 28 August 2017) was a French model and actress. She appeared as a lead character in Jean-Luc Godard's 1967 film '' Weekend''. Darc was a Knight of the Legion of Honour and Commander of the National Order of Me ...

.Bock & Bergfelder p.378 It was made as a co-production between France, Italy and West Germany. The film's sets were designed by Jean Mandaroux.

Plot

Overwhelmed by the death of his wife, a rich Parisian banker called René Duchêne is walking towards the River Seine to throw himself in when he is accosted by a prostitute. They recognise each other, because she used to be the chambermaid. When she learns that her former mistress is dead, she reveals that the wife he adored had made him a laughing stock by her multiple adulteries. He decides to let the world think he has committed suicide and to go into hiding. Answering an advertisement for a couple to be butler and maid in a country house, he is hired under the name of Georges Baudin, with Suzanne posing as his daughter to be the maid. Their employers are Edmond Bernadac, a rich and staid businessman, and his flighty new Swiss wife Elisabeth, a former air hostess who is fond of alcohol and men. Their new butler rapidly becomes indispensable at smoothing over the continual problems which beset the household, one being that the son of the house immediately wants to marry Suzanne and has therefore to win the permission of her supposed father. He meanwhile has to contend with problems at home, where his dead wife's parents have moved in and claim to be his heirs. In the end he has to come back to life in order to thwart them and to allow Suzanne to marry the boy she loves.

Cast

as Monsieur *

as Elizabeth Bernadac *

as Suzanne *

Philippe Noiret Philippe Noiret (; 1 October 1930 – 23 November 2006) was a French film actor. Life and career Noiret was born in Lille, France, the son of Lucy (Heirman) and Pierre Noiret, a clothing company representative. He was an indifferent student and ...

as Edmond Bernadac *

Gaby Morlay Gaby Morlay (born Blanche Pauline Fumoleau; 8 June 1893 – 4 July 1964) was a film actress from France.

as Madame Bernadac mère *

Gabrielle Dorziat Gabrielle Dorziat (1880–1979) was a French stage and film actress. Dorziat was a fashion trend setter in Paris and helped popularize the designs of Coco Chanel. The Théâtre Gabrielle-Dorziat in Épernay, France is named for her. Biography S ...

as La belle-mère * Peter Vogel as Michel Corbeil *

Marina Berti Elena Maureen Bertolino (29 September 1924 – 29 October 2002), known professionally as Marina Berti, was an Italian film actress. She was born in London from an Italian father and an English mother. Biography Her first screen appearance was ...

as Madame Danoni *

Claudio Gora Claudio Gora, '' Emilio Giordana '' (27 July 1913 – 13 March 1998) was an Italian actor and film director. He was particularly prolific, making some 155 appearances in film and television over nearly 60 years (from 1939 to 1997). In the 1950s ...

as Danoni *

Berthe Granval Saint Bertha or Saint Aldeberge (c. 565 – d. in or after 601) was the queen of Kent whose influence led to the Christianization of Anglo-Saxon England. She was canonized as a saint for her role in its establishment during that period of E ...

as Nathalie Bernadac *

Jean-Paul Moulinot Jean-Paul Moulinot (30 June 1912 – 3 December 1989) was a French actor, sociétaire of the Comédie-Française. Elisabeth (Yvette) Hardy (1917-2000), a comedian at the TNP, was his wife. Close to Jean Vilar, he took part to the first Festival ...

as Me Flamand, le notaire *

Jean-Pierre Darras Jean-Pierre Darras (1927–1999) was a French actor. Filmography 1927 births 1999 deaths Deaths from cancer in France French film directors French monarchists Male actors from Paris People from Val-de-Marne French male film actors ...

as José *

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 ...

as Le beau-père * Heinz Blau as Alain Bernadac *

Maryse Martin Maryse Martin (1906–1984) was a French singer, film and television actress.Pallister & Hottell p.77 Selected filmography * ''Les Casse-pieds'' (1948) * ''We Will All Go to Paris'' (1950) – Maman Terrine * ''Musique en tête'' (1951) – La ...

as Justine *

Andrex Andrex is a British brand of toilet roll. It is owned by the American company Kimberly-Clark. The "Andrex Puppy", a Labrador Retriever puppy that appears on the company's television advertisements, is synonymous with the brand. The brand Andre ...

as Antoine *

Alain Bouvette Alain may refer to: People * Alain (given name), common given name, including list of persons and fictional characters with the name * Alain (surname) * "Alain", a pseudonym for cartoonist Daniel Brustlein * Alain, a standard author abbreviation u ...

as Marc *

Jean Lefebvre Jean Marcel Lefebvre (3 October 1919Some sources indicate he was born in 1922. – 9 July 2004) was a French film actor. His erratic studies were interrupted by World War II. Taken prisoner and then requisitioned as a laborer, he escaped to joi ...

as Le detective privé * Max Elder as Le valet de chambre *

Armand Meffre Armand refer to: People * Armand (name), list of people with this name *Armand (photographer) (1901–1963), Armenian photographer *Armand (singer) (1946–2015), Dutch protest singer *Sean Armand (born 1991), American basketball player *Armand, ...

as Le patron du bistrot *

Jean Champion Jean Champion (9 March 1917 – 23 May 2001) was a French film actor. He appeared in 60 films between 1962 and 1996. Partial filmography * ''Cléo from 5 to 7'' (1962) - Le patron du café (uncredited) * '' The Longest Day'' (1962) - Frenc ...

as Le patron de l'hôtel *

Pierre Moncorbier Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

as Le serrurier *

Angela Minervini Angela Minervini is an Italian actress, known for her roles in films such as ''La visita ''La visita'' is a 1963 Italian comedy film directed by Antonio Pietrangeli. It was entered into the 14th Berlin International Film Festival. Cast * San ...

as La serveuse du snack *

Christian Brocard Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

as Un client sans-gêne *

André Dalibert André — sometimes transliterated as Andre — is the French and Portuguese form of the name Andrew, and is now also used in the English-speaking world. It used in France, Quebec, Canada and other French-speaking countries. It is a variation o ...

as Le tailleur *

Paul Faivre Paul Faivre (3 March 1886 – 5 March 1973) was a French actor. Selected filmography * ''The House Opposite'' (1937) * ''Behind the Facade'' (1939) * '' Vidocq'' (1939) * '' Annette and the Blonde Woman'' (1942) * ''The Count of Monte Crist ...

as Le curé *

Michel Nastorg Michel Nastorg (1914–1984) was a French actor. During World War II he was called into the French army as Soldier Second Class. With the Seventh Army he retreated from Belgium before a fierce German onslaught, and found himself at Dunkirk in J ...

as Le docteur * Raoul Henry as L'invité Bretteville *

René Fleur 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 Le décorateur

References

Bibliography

* Bock, Hans-Michael & Bergfelder, Tim. ''The Concise CineGraph. Encyclopedia of German Cinema''. Berghahn Books, 2009.

External links

* 1964 films 1964 comedy films German comedy films West German films Italian comedy films 1960s French-language films Films directed by Jean-Paul Le Chanois French comedy films Films set in Paris 1960s French films 1960s Italian films 1960s German films Films scored by Georges Van Parys {{1960s-France-film-stub