La Jument verte (1959) - film review

During the Second French Empire, a modest farmer Jules Haudouin makes his fortune thanks to his green-skinned mare.  Haudouin hires an artist to paint a portrait of his treasured horse, and the painting continues to bring good luck after the horse’s death.  When Haudouin dies, one of his sons, Honoré, inherits his farm, whilst the other, Ferdinand, becomes a veterinary surgeon.  Jealous of the Haudouins’ good fortune, the Malorets, a rival family, never pass up an occasion to cause trouble.  During the 1870 war with Prussia, Zèphe Maloret denounces Honoré to the occupying power.  To save her sons, Madame Haudouin allows a young Prussian officer to have his way with her.  Years later, the shame of this incident continues to torment Honoré, and he is determined to have his revenge on his enemy Zèphe Maloret…

A few years after their successful collaboration on La Traversée de Paris (1956), director Claude Autant-Lara and the popular comic actor Bourvil worked together on this light-hearted farce, based on a best-selling novel by Marcel Aymé.  One of Autant-Lara’s more cheerful films, La Jument verte benefits from an exceptionally talented cast, which includes such big names as Francis Blanche, Yves Robert, Georges Wilson and Marie Déa, as well as the great Bourvil (who, needless to say, gives great value).  In contrast to many popular French comedies of this period, the film had a substantial budget and consequentially exceptional production values, not least of which is the sumptuous colour photography.  Although not quite as controversial as some of Autant-Lara’s earlier films, some of the jokes do come close to the limit of what was acceptable at the time, and the film’s risqué trailer was banned for an under-eighteen audience.

© James Travers 2007

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