Joyeuses Pâques (1984)

Joyeuses Pâques is a French film comedy first released in 1984, directed by Georges Lautner.  The film stars Jean-Paul Belmondo, Sophie Marceau, Marie Laforêt, Rosy Varte and Michel Beaune.  It has also been released under the title: Happy Easter.  Our overall rating for this film is: mediocre.


Stéphane Margelle is a successful industrialist who somehow manages to conceal his innumerable amorous adventures from his wife Sophie.  Shortly after arriving on the Côte d’Azur, a young woman, Julie, falls for Stéphane’s charms.  With nowhere to spend the night, she allows the aging Don Juan to take her back to his mansion.  Stéphane’s plans for a quite evening of seduction are wrecked when Sophie returns unexpectedly – her plane journey having been cancelled due to a strike.  With the threat of divorce hanging over him, Stéphane tells his wife that Julie is his daughter...

Clearly not a film for the culturally minded, Joyeuses Pâques is little more than a vehicle to allow its star actor, Jean-Paul Belmondo, to indulge his penchant for action stunts and theatrical over-the-top acting.  This is a shame because the storyline initially shows promise and Jean Poiret’s script has some very good scripted jokes.  Unfortunately, Belmondo appears to be on some kind of mission to out-charisma and out-stage everything in sight and the film just reeks of nauseating self-indulgence.

© James Travers 2007

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