Tricoche et Cacolet (1938) - film review

Tricoche and Cacolet run a private detective agency, in spite of the fact that they can barely stand one another.  Their personal rivalry becomes professional when they get involved in a case of domestic infidelity.  Cacolet is employed by a well-known banker, Van der Pouf, to find his missing wife, Bernadine.  Meanwhile, Tricoche has just been hired by Bernadine to hide her – and her secret lover – from her anxious husband…

A fairly typical mainstream French comedy of the late 1930s, Tricoche et Cacolet stars the charismatic comic actor Fernandel who was, even then, a hugely popular figure in France.  Although the jokes in this overly complicated farce now appear tired and dated, the film retains some of its charm, thanks mainly to its cheery musical numbers and some eccentric performances.   Fernandel and Frédéric Duvallès form a memorable double act, the latter apparently doing his damnedest to out-stage his co-star (and with some success).  The film has an impressive cast, which includes Ginette Leclerc (best known for her role in Marcel Pagnol’s La Femme du boulanger), the glamorous Romanian actress, Elvire Popesco, and the sublime character actor, Saturnin Fabre.

© James Travers 2004

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