Le Coq du régiment (1933) Directed by Maurice Cammage
Comedy
Film Review
Comic giant of French cinema Fernandel stars in this typical 1930s French farce, a conventional
piece of vaudeville intended purely to entertain the masses. Although both the plot
and production values are pretty simplistic, if not to say absolutely shoddy, by today's
standards, this kind of lowbrow comedy was enormously popular in its day. Even though
the unsophisticated storyline has no surprises, the film has retained some of its charm,
and the fun lies not in the script, but in the eccentric, almost theatrical, performances
from an instantly likeable cast.
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Film Synopsis
Lavirette certainly lives up to his name ' le coq du régiment'.
Even before he donned his first uniform, he was always the most unrepentant
of skirt-chasers, much to the annoyance of his wife. With the threat
of divorce looming, Lavirette realises he must change his ways, so he promises
to become the most faithful of husbands, assuring his wife that she is the
only woman he needs to make him happy. But within just a few hours
of making this declaration of fidelity the randy lieutenant is up to his
old tricks again, throwing himself at another irresistible member of the
opposite sex. Lavriette comes to his senses - but too late.
By now the woman professes to be madly in love with him and will not let
him go. The only way out is for him to assume a false identity, and
lead his lovelorn admirer to think he is Médard, a modest soldier
who happens to be his oldest friend. Lavriette may have got away with
the ruse if he hadn't then had the misfortune of being mistaken for Médard
by a more senior officer. Thinking that Lavriette is a low-ranking
soldier, the officer takes him on as his personal attendant, and from then
on things become ever more muddled. Lavriette's philandering has got
him into very deep water, and this time it's not certain that he will ever
get out of it...
Script: Maurice Cammage (dialogue),
Alin Monjardin (story)
Cinematographer: Julien Ringel
Music: Fernand Heintz
Cast:Fernandel (Medard),
André Roanne (Lucien Lavirette),
Georges Péclet (Saint-Girons),
Charles Prince (Musigny),
Ginette Gaubert (Madame Lavirette),
Christiane Delyne (Christiane),
Ruth Felder (Margaret),
Louis Florencie (Montbrizard),
Andrex,
Gaby Basset,
Tony D'Algy,
Jeanne Fusier-Gir,
Jean Kolb,
René Lacourt,
Max Lerel,
Georges Marceau,
Jean Valroy
Country: France
Language: French
Support: Black and White
Runtime: 80 min
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