Le Retour de Don Camillo (1953)

Le Retour de Don Camillo is a French film comedy-drama first released in 1953, directed by Julien Duvivier.  The film stars Fernandel, Gino Cervi, Edouard Delmont, Paolo Stoppa and Alexandre Rignault.  It has also been released under the title: The Return of Don Camillo.  Our overall rating for this film is: good.


When he hears about Don Camillio’s on-going battles with the communist mayor Peppone, the bishop decides to exile the Catholic priest to a small mountain parish.   With his arch-enemy out of the way, Peppone’s life is far more peaceful – at least at first.  When he fails to persuade a rich landowner to allow a dam to be built on his land to stop an impending flood, the mayor realises he needs Don Camillo’s help.  The situation becomes even more desperate when the parishioners fall out with Don Camillio’s replacement, Don Pietro, refusing to die, marry or be born.  Peppone has no choice but to hasten Don Camillo’s return.  But how can he stop the priest from turning his return into a victory celebration?

After the international success of Le Petit monde de Don Camillo in 1951, a sequel – with comic star Fernandel in the role of the pugnacious priest – was inevitable.  Julien Duvivier’s direction and Fernandel’s larger-than-life performance prevents Le Retour de Don Camillo from being an inferior sequel to the first film.  The script and cinematography capture the charm and humour of Giovanni Guareschi’s original novels on which the Don Camillo film series was based.  The success of this film guaranteed a further three cinematic outings for the redoubtable Don Camillo.

© James Travers 2003

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