Cent francs par seconde (1953) Directed by Jean Boyer
Comedy
Film Review
Inspired by the hugely popular French radio game show 100 francs par seconde, this
likeable little comedy struggles to keep going (it essentially takes
one idiotic plot idea and stretches it to ludicrous extremes) but is
amply redeemed by its enthusiastic performances and a plethora of
amusing one-liners. Philippe Lemaire and Henri
Génès are both excellent choices for the lead roles, one
an amiable stooge who acquires a remarkable facility for answering
general knowledge questions when he is bashed on the head, the other a
greedy good-for-nothing who knows when he is onto a good thing and is
always ready to lend a hand when some serious head-bashing is
required.
As the businessman who looks set to be ruined by Lemaire's unexpected
stroke of good fortune (aided by an all too convenient strike by
France's railway workers) Fred Pasquali is equally entertaining and
comes close to stealing the film. An unexpected bonus is when the
special guests Ray Ventura and Bourvil show up and fail to stymie
Lemaire with their 'specialist knowledge' questions. Jean Boyer
directs Cent francs par seconde
with his customary verve and whilst it is far from being his best film
it has no difficulty whiling away a dull afternoon. In some ways,
it is the perfect antidote to all those facile game shows that have come
to dominate every television channel and delight in showing us how
ignorant we all are. Other French films inspired by popular radio
shows include: La Famille Duraton (1939),
Sur le banc (1955) and
Signé Furax (1981).
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Next Jean Boyer film: Femmes de Paris (1953)
Film Synopsis
Fernand is a good-for-nothing who takes part in radio competitions in
the hope of winning the prizes on offer. One day, he persuades a
sympathetic young man named Philippe to take his place in one such
competition, Cent francs par seconde, insisting that if
Philippe wins he, Fernand, will receive
a share of the winnings. Fernand is certain that Philippe will
win because, after suffering a head injury, he has somehow acquired the
ability to answer every question he is asked successfully. Sure
enough, Philippe repeatedly wins the radio competition and threatens to
ruin the man who organises it, the man who happens to be the father of
the girl he loves...
Script: Jean Boyer, Jean-Jacques Vital (story),
Serge Véber (dialogue)
Cinematographer: Charles Suin
Music: Henri Betti
Cast: Henri Génès (Fernand),
Philippe Lemaire (Philippe),
Jeannette Batti (Louloute),
Jean-Jacques Vital (L'animateur),
Geneviève Kervine (Jacqueline Bourdinet),
Jacques Eyser (Le fakir),
Gaston Orbal (Le secrétaire),
Fred Pasquali (Bourdinet),
Bourvil (Himself),
André Gillois (Himself),
Charles Rigoulot (Himself),
Ray Ventura (Himself),
Nicolas Amato (Le directeur du théâtre),
Luc Andrieux (Le mauvais garçon),
Jack Ary (Un cheminot en grève),
Jackie Blanchot (Un cheminot en grève),
Alain Bouvette (Le correspondant extérieur de l'émission),
André Carnège (Un actionnaire),
Marcel Charvey (Le mécanicien),
André Dalibert (Un cheminot en grève)
Country: France
Language: French
Support: Black and White
Runtime: 88 min
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