Le Jardinier d’Argenteuil (1966)

Le Jardinier d’Argenteuil is a French crime film first released in 1966, directed by Jean-Paul Le Chanois.  The film is based on a novel by René Jouglet and stars Jean Gabin, Liselotte Pulver, Pierre Vernier, Alfred Adam and Noël Roquevert.  It has also been released under the title: The Gardener of Argenteuil.  Our overall rating for this film is: mediocre.


Monsieur Martin, known as Tulipe, is an old man who lives alone in an old railway carriage in the Argentueil region of Paris.  His main passions are gardening and oil painting, but he also has a secret source of income.  His godson discovers that Tulipe is actually a master forger, producing perfect copies of 10 franc notes.  His godson’s girlfriend sees this as an opportunity to get very rich – but she must persuade Tulipe to forge 500 franc notes.  Assuming Tulipe’s agreement, his godson and his girlfriend buy an expensive new car and luxury villa in provincial France – but there is a cruel turn of fate in store for them when Tulipe strikes up a friendship with a millionaire playboy…

This is a gentle comedy which mocks the wealth and pleasure-seeking obsession of contemporary youth and shows that, for some, fulfilment lies elsewhere.

Jean Gabin is perfectly cast as the solitary but contented père Tulipe.  Whilst not his most memorable rôle, Gabin, now in his sixties, manages to create a sympathetic and believable character.

Regrettably, the plot is a little too anodyne and predictable, but there are some enjoyable comic moments and the film has a satisfying – but not suprising – ending.

© James Travers 1999

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