Le père Noël est une ordure (1982)

Note des utilisateurs:

7.5/10   

Réalisateur:

Jean-Marie Poiré

Writers:

Josiane Balasko (writer)
Marie-Anne Chazel (writer)

Release Date:

25 août 1982 (France)

Genre:

Comedie

Plot:

Félix, disguised as Father Christmas, hands out leaflets advertising a sexy Christmas party. His place is taken by an African Santa Claus and he returns to his caravan only to find his girlfriend Josette about to leave him. When he comes after her, she takes refuge at "SOS Distress", run by two neurotics, Thérèse and Pierre.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Santa Claus | Father Christmas | Ambulance | Black Comedy

Avis des utilisateurs:

Santa Claus Is CUMMIN To Town

Ensemble

Anémone	...	Thérèse
Josiane Balasko	...	Madame Musquin
Marie-Anne Chazel	...	Zézette (épouse X)
Christian Clavier	...	Katia
Gérard Jugnot	...	Félix
Thierry Lhermitte	...	Pierre Mortez
Bruno Moynot	...	Zadko Preskovic
Martin Lamotte	...	Mr. Leble
Jacques François	...	Le pharmacien
Claire Magnin	...	Madame Leble
Michel Blanc	...	Voix au téléphone
reste de la distribution par ordre alphabétique:
Jeannette Batti
Pierre Belot
Suzanne Berthois
Michel Bonnet	...	Suicidé au téléphone
Jean-Claude Bouillaud
Jean-Pierre Clami
Jacques Disses
Josy Lafont
Roger Mabilat
François Rostain
Bhime Souaré		(as Bhime)
Gérard Thirion

Autre(s) titre(s):

Santa Claus Is a Stinker (USA) (informal literal English title)

Durée:

88 min

Pays:

France

Langue:

Français

Couleur:

Couleur

Son:

Mono

Classification:

Singapore:NC-16 | France:U

Company:

Trinacra Films

Anecdotes:

Because of the offensive title, the RATP (Paris subway company) and Paris mayor's office refused to hire out billboards for the poster.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Mixed Nuts (1994)

Soundtrack:

Ptit dej' blues

Santa Claus Is CUMMIN To Town

This is probably the first time I've read all the previous comments for a given movie and found not a single pan so far be it for me to go against the consensus. I've long been a fan of 'Splendid' both as a group and later as individuals (in fact I'm just about to add my comment on 'Monsieur Batignole' a comparatively new film by triple-threat Gerard Jugnot, the 'Felix' from pere noel) and this represents them at their very best, which is saying something indeed. I missed, alas, the original stage version of Pere Noel but the good news is it's now available on DVD so it's automatically on my 'must have' list. It's also going to be difficult to improve on the raves already posted here so really the best one can do is add to them. I think it's fair to say that this movie gives a new meaning to the old gag 'the Samaritans call ME', given that the main setting (it started out as a play, remember) is the run-down offices of SOS distresse amitie, the French equivalent of the Samaritans which is invaded - against the no-face-to-face contact Rule, natch, by three assorted fruitcakes - four, if you count Felix-and-how-could-you-not - the santa claus-suited, gun-toting boyfriend of the slightly enceinte Zezette (Marie-Ann Chaval). The most rational thing you can say about this is that it's difficult to separate the fruitcakes - Gerard Jugnot, Bruno Mayot, Marie-Ann Chaval, Christian Clavier, from the 'staff', Anemone, Thierry Lhermitte, Josiane Balasko, in fact the title of the pathetic American remake 'Mixed Nuts' says it all (but don't rush to see it, it's light years away from the original on the wrong galaxy side). Incredibly they pack all the mayhem into one hour twenty eight minutes and that includes the best part of a minute on Establishing Shots. To attempt to describe the labyrinthine plot is a new way to grow schizoid so suffice it to say this is THE surreal comedy they all have to beat. 10/10