Schpountz, Le (1938)

Director:

Marcel Pagnol

Writer:

Marcel Pagnol (writer)

Release Date:

4 September 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Meeting a movie team on location near his house, a young man saw a lots of encouragment for his dreaming...

Plot Keywords:

Film In Film | Satire

Cast

Fernandel	...	Irénée Fabre, 'le Schpountz'
Orane Demazis	...	Françoise
Léon Belières	...	Meyerbaum
Robert Vattier	...	Astruc
Fernand Charpin	...	Oncle Baptiste Fabre
Jean Castan	...	Casimir Fabre
Odette Roger	...	Tante Clarisse Fabre
Louisard	...	Charlet
Henri Poupon	...	Galubert
Robert Bassac	...	Dromart
Charles Blavette	...	Martelette
Enrico Glori	...	Glazunoff
Charblay	...	Adolphe, le portier du studio
Tyrand	...	Acteur, 'Le Pape'
Henri Champetier	...	Nic

Also Known As:

Heartbeat (International: English title)

Runtime:

160 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Phillips Sound

Certification:

Germany:12

Company:

Les Films Marcel Pagnol

Trivia:

The movie was shot a second time because the confusion around the first shooting when Marcel Pagnol was writing the scenario day by day. Unavailable for the second shooting, Pierre Brasseur was replaced by Roger Forster (I) but some of the shots involving Brasseur were still used.

Goofs:

Continuity: Unavailable for the second shooting (see trivia entry), Pierre Brasseur was replaced by Roger Forster but some of the shots involving Brasseur were still used.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Schpountz, Le (1999)

"Le schpountz" : what's that thing?

Gerard Oury, who recently died ,made a remake in 1999 starring Smain and Sabine Azéma.It was greeted by a poor reception in France and the users on the IMDb agree,given its very low rating.

One cannot redo a Pagnol movie ,one cannot take on a Fernandel part.They were unique.

Not that "Le Schpounz" is a perfect movie:its last part (or should I say its last act for,as most of Pagnol's movies of that era,it was first a play) drags on a bit too much.

"Le Schpounz" is not a word which is in the French dictionary;it means "idiot' "moron".

Irénée (Fernandel) is sick and tired of working in his uncle 's(Charpin) grocery.He's dreaming of Hollywood .One day a film crew stops in his small village and have the poor moron sign a phony contract for Meyerboum productions.The poor fool really believes he is bound for glory so he takes a train to Paris where he is subject to bad jokes again until...

Fernandel easily switches from laughter to tears,and his words ,when he discovers he's been led up the garden path ,are bitter and harsh.There are interesting thoughts about a comic actor ,particularly when Orane Demazis talks about Charlie Chaplin.

Like "Topaze" (1932 and 1950) it's also a revenge :Irénée was humiliated in his grocery (this boy is no good at anything!)as Topaze was a ridiculous little teacher in love with his headmaster's daughter who laughed behind his back.Both have made their way of life:the former has become a star,the latter a businessman.Irenée,however,remains a nice person (so does his uncle who 's got a heart of gold in fact) whereas Jouvet made Topaze a disturbing character in the first version.

NB.Watch for Pierre Brasseur's cameo as "Cousine" ,a gay who thinks that men should not marry women.(sic)