''Napoleon Road'' (French: ''La route Napoléon'') is a 1953 French

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Jean Delannoy Jean Delannoy (; 12 January 1908 – 18 June 2008) was a French actor, film editor, screenwriter and film director. Biography Although Delannoy was born in a Paris suburb, his family was from Haute-Normandie in the north of France. He was a Pro ...

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 ...

, Henri Vilbert and Claude Laydu.BFI.org
/ref> It was partly shot at the Billancourt Studios in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Serge Piménoff.

Synopsis

A chancer organises a series of

package tour A package tour, package vacation, or package holiday comprises transport and accommodation advertised and sold together by a vendor known as a tour operator. Other services may be provided such as a rental car, activities or outings during the h ...

s along a route said to have been taken by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

in 1815 when in fact the Emperor never set foot there. The local inhabitants back up his story as they hope to cash in on the tourist boom.

Cast

as Édouard Martel * Henri Vilbert as Blaise * Claude Laydu as Pierre Marchand *

René Génin René Génin (25 January 1890 – 24 October 1967) was a French stage and film actor. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1931 and 1965. Selected filmography * ''Vertigo'' (1935) * '' The Mutiny of the Elsinore'' (1936) * '' The Bri ...

as Le curé * Mireille Ozy as Stella * Raphaël Patorni as Bonvent *

Fernand Sardou Fernand Sardou (18 September 1910 – 31 January 1976La Gloire de Pagnol
p. 235.) was a French singer an ...

as Le maire de Bourg-sur-Bléone *

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 * '' Don't Shout It from the Rooftops'' (1943) * '' Jeannou'' (1 ...

as Le boucher * Fransined as Le pharmacien * Nicolas Amato as Figuières * Maurice Bénard as Le ministre * Pierrette Caillol as La femme dudocteur * Lucien Callamand as Sabatier- le garde-champêtre * Serge Davin as Cabanis - le coiffeur * Germaine de France as Madame Martel * Jean Landier as Emery * Julien Maffre as Un habitant * Denise Precheur as Une employée * Annie Roudier as Delphine * Hélène Tossy as La postière * Edmond Verva as Le père du jeune Victor * Claude Laydu as Pierre Marchand * Jean Panisse as Raphaël * Marie Albe as Clarisse - la journaliste

References

External links

* 1953 films 1953 comedy films 1950s French-language films Films directed by Jean Delannoy Films with screenplays by Roland Laudenbach French comedy films French black-and-white films Pathé films Films shot at Billancourt Studios Films set in Paris 1950s French films Films scored by Paul Misraki Films with screenplays by Antoine Blondin {{1950s-France-comedy-film-stub