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On purge bébé
1931 Comedy
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Credits
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Director: Jean Renoir
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Script: Georges Feydeau, Jean Renoir, Pierre Prévert
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Photo: Theodor Sparkuhl
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Music: Paul Misraki
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Cast: Marguerite Pierry (Julie Follavoine),
Jacques Louvigny (Follavoine),
Michel Simon (Chouilloux),
Olga Valéry (Madame Chouilloux),
Nicole Fernandez (Rose),
Fernandel (Truchet),
Sacha Tarride (Toto)
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Country: France
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Language: French
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Runtime: 62 min; B&W
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Summary
Monsieur Follavoine, inventor of the world’s first unbreakable chamberpot, invites a senior
civil servant, Monsieur Chouilloux, to his house to sign a contract to sell his invention
to the army. At the same time, his wife, Julie Follavoine, is trying in vain to
purge their young son, Toto. In the ensuing confusion, Follavoine’s chamberpots
prove not to be as indestructible as he claims and Toto is not the only one who is in
for some unpleasant medicine...
Review
Jean Renoir’s most outrageous comedy, based on a stage play by Georges Feydeau, provides
ample material for its comic stars to prove their worth. Marguerite Pierry,
Jacques Louvigny and Michel Simon each provide a comic performance that surpasses genius,
whilst a then comparatively unknown actor Fernandel unleashes his talent on an unsuspecting
world. Although not as noteworthy as Renoir’s later films of the same decade, On
purge bébé is nonetheless a competently realised comic farce, showing
the director at his most joyously unrestrained. What links this film to Renoir's
greater films is its carefree mockery of Bourgeois respectability, and seldom does the
French Bourgeoisie come in for more mockery than in this hilariously funny film, all in
the worst possible taste.
© James Travers 2002
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