Summary
Harpagon lives a frugal life although he has accumulated a fortune, which he has buried
in his garden. The old man is ruthlessly tight-fisted and, to further his wealthy,
he intends to marry his daughter off to a wealthy man whilst he himself marries a wealthy
heiress. Unfortunately, his daughter is in love with another young man, whilst the
woman he plans to marry is already beloved, by his son...
Review
This is a rollicking film adaptation of Molière’s famous comedy. Whilst remaining
true to the original play, this film still manages to sparkle with originality and fun.
Louis de Funès doesn’t just play the part of the miser Harpagon – he is Harpagon,
right down to his threadbare socks. In a performance that surpasses brilliance,
de Funès’s portrayal is both exceptionally funny and unequivocally poignant.
He reminds us that Harpagon is not a villain – he is really a sad, sad figure who deserves
our pity more than our contempt. In between tyrannising his children and flogging
his servants, Harpagon is a tragic figure who, unloved by humanity, is driven to an obsessive
love of money. De Funès manages to draw out that unhappy side of the character
without ever letting up on his relentlessly obnoxious behaviour for one moment.
In keeping with the theme of the play, the sets are unusually spartan for a French period
drama, with Harpagon’s horses represented by a blown-up sketch! However, this strangely
works to the film’s advantage. With such scintillating dialogue and acting, an impressive
background set would be just a distraction.
That not withstanding, the film does employ some spectacular scene shifts – at one pointing
projecting Harpagon onto a theatre stage so that he can deliver one of his asides.
This kind of visual gimmickry is a little distracting but it does seem to work within
the context of the play.
© James Travers 2000
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