Hibernatus (1969) - film review

The orderly world of Hubert de Tartas, manager of a packaging company, is turned upside-down when his wife’s grandfather, Paul Fournier, makes an unexpected return.  65 years after his ship hit an iceberg, Fournier’s body is discovered preserved in a block of ice and he is miraculously brought back to life, still aged 25.  Aware the shock of finding himself in another age might kill him, Hubert and his wife agree to take care of Fournier in their home and to convince hims that the year is 1905…

Athough Edouard Molinaro’s first collaboration with Louis de Funès (Oscar , 1967) had not been entirely amiable, the film director allowed himself to be pursued by Gaumont to make a second film featuring the temperamental comic genius.   Like Oscar, Hibernatus was an adaptation of a successful comic stage play and proved to be a great commercial success, furthering de Funès standing as the most popular French comic actor of his time.

Louis de Funès gives a fine comic performance which makes this otherwise rudimentary comedy unimaginably hilarious in places.  The actor is noticeably more restrained than his other films of this period – something which serves the film well, allowing the plot and other characters to escape being eclipsed by his larger-than-life persona.

The film features Claude Gensac who appeared in several of de Funès’ films (including Oscar and the Gendarme films) in the role of his on-screen wife – a part for which she appears perfectly suited).  De Funès was able to persuade the production team to cast his son Olivier in the role of his son in the film – although it is clear from his appearance in this film that Olivier de Funès has no real enthusiasm for the career he was pushed into by his father.

© James Travers 2002

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