Heureux qui comme Ulysse (1970) - film review

Antonin, an ageing farm worker, is appalled when his employer tells him that the horse Ulysse that he has looked after for the past 25 years must be handed over to a picador, to face a certain death in the bullring.  Unable to betray Ulysse, Antonin decides to take him to open countryside in the south of France, where he will let him go free.  On the way to the equine promised land, the two old friends encounter more than a few obstacles...

Star of French cinema for four decades, the great comic actor Fernandel finally bows out with grace in this poignant if slightly sentimental comedy-drama, which is based on an American novel.  With its beautiful Provençal setting and naturalistic performances, Heureux qui comme Ulysse captures the spirit and mood of the films of a director Fernandel worked with early on his career, Marcel Pagnol.

Despite his advanced years, Fernandel has no difficulty evoking our sympathy; his performance in this film is one of his most sensitive and convincing.  The rapport he seems to have with his co-star – an attractive old horse – brings a palpable sense of pathos to what is a very moving story.   A simple and poetic film, it can be interpreted as an allegory for the way in which contemporary society treats its elderly citizens when the young deem they are no longer of any value.

Despite its commendable production values, which include some stunning location photography, authentic performances and a thoughful script, the film was not a great commercial success when it was released in 1970.  It is, however, unquestionably one of Fernandel’s most memorable films, reminiscent of another film in which he starred alongside a dumb animal, the superlative La Vache et le prisonnier (1959).

© James Travers 2007

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