Pasquali Movies
- 1957
Filmed in 1957 but not released in the U.S. until 1962, Girl in His Pocket was released to more liberal markets as Nude in His Pocket. Jean Marais plays Prof. Jerome, a researcher who is intrigued with the theory of suspended animation. With the help of his sexy assistant Monette (Agnes Laurent), the professor stumbles upon a formula that shrinks people and turns them into living statues. When the professor's wife suspects that her husband is carrying on a romance with Monette (she's right), the au naturel Monette hides herself by drinking the potion and secreting herself within the professor's pocket. There's a race to the rescue when the professor's wife places the "figurine" Monette on an ocean liner bound for parts unknown. Girl in His Pocket was based on "The Diminishing Draft", a short story by Waldemar Kaempfert, originally published way back in 1918. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Marais, Geneviève Page, (more)
- 1956
An old French count who keeps an index of all his past loves is surprised one day by a young woman who claims to be his daughter. He welcomes her and treats her well, but six more girls arrive with the same story, making the count suspicious. Meanwhile, his son returns from a scientific expedition and falls in love with one of the girls. Eventually, all the girls admit that they are unemployed actresses waiting for work. Also titled I Have Seven Daughters. ~ Steve Huey, All Movie Guide
- 1956
This Gallic farce is better known to "Late Late Show" fanatics as Fernandel the Dressmaker. Sure enough, horse-faced comedian Fernandel is cast as a couturier, permitting director Jean Boyer to trot out a variety of underdressed young ladies at the slightest opportunity. The plot concerns Fernandel's efforts to hide his vocation from his jealous wife Suzy Delair. When she does find out, she walks out on him, determined to teach him a lesson by taking up with other men. All is forgiven by fadeout time as both husband and wife divest themselves of their troublesome extracurricular romantic entanglements. Many of the film's best gags involve homosexual characters, and as such may not play too well when seen today. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernandel, Suzy Delair, (more)
- 1949
Nous Irons a Paris is a gentle but pointed satire of the government-controlled French radio industry. Fired from his singing job, hero Jacques (Phillipe Lemaire) sets up a "pirate" radio station with the help of a few friends. Before long, Jacques' illegal broadcast facility gains enormous popularity, as well as the vindictive scrutiny of the French Radio Administration. Fortunately, Jacques and his cronies always manage to stay one step ahead of the authorities -- at least until they set up shop on an old barge. All ends happily for everyone concerned, especially Jacques and his lady love Micheline (Francoise Arnoul). Enhancing the box-office appeal of Nous Irons a Paris is the presence of several surprise guest stars, ranging from Gallic favorite Martine Carol to Hollywood's George Raft! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Françoise Arnoul, Philippe Lemaire, (more)
- 1938
Adapted from the novel by Paul Lafitte, Rothchild is not, as might be assumed, the story of the famed European banking family. Harry Baur stars as a hobo who happens to share the same name as the eminent Rothchilds. By claiming a familial relationship to the legendary financiers, Baur is able to enjoy privileges and luxuries which he might otherwise be denied. Even so, Baur is far more honest than some of the people he's fleecing, and by film's end he has exposed the shady business activities of the "respectable" Monsieur Barsac (Pauley). Unfortunately, filmclips from Rothchild were later used out of context by Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels as examples of "Jewish decadence." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Germaine Michel, Pasquali, (more)
- 1938
Danielle Darrieux stars as a scatter-brained college coed who miraculously becomes a lawyer. Her father would prefer that she give up the law in favor of marriage, but our heroine intends to out-Portia Portia in the courtroom. She gets her big chance when she's hired to defend Henry Garat, a charming but unregenerate crook. While trying to reform her client, Darrieux falls head over heels in love with him. The story ends when Garat reveals his true identity, which takes everyone's breath away. Utterly forgettable, Avocate D'Amour (Counsel for Romance) is also infinitely charming, with both stars at their peak. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danielle Darrieux, Henri Garat, (more)
- 1937
It really shouldn't be necessary to provide the English translation for Grandeur et Decadence. The story centers upon the Girbals, a bourgeois family living contentedly on the seacoast of France. Their lives are radically altered when Papa Girbal (Firmin Gemier) is persuaded to expand his cannery business. Suddenly showered with wealth, the family relocates to France, where despite the most persuasive of temptation the family manages to retain its fundamental decency. Even so, the Girbal's son Andre (Lucien Galas) becomes fed up with wicked old Paree and heads back home, there to marry his childhood sweetheart. Comes the Depression, which for the Girbals is depressing indeed: Papa Girbal loses his business, his wife Marie (Marcelle Geniat) dies, and daughter Suzanne (Simone Lencret) is "ruined" by a cad. Moving in with son Andre's family, a suddenly enervated Papa Girbal elects to start life all over again for the sake of his new grandson. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marcelle Geniat, Pasquali, (more)
