Jean Boyer Movies
French filmmaker Jean Boyer, the son of singer/songwriter Lucien Boyer, began his film career in 1930 as a songwriter for musicals. He began writing screenplays the following year and became a feature-film director in 1932. Over the next two decades, Boyer directed over 70 lightweight, commercially successful films, including the feature film debut of Brigitte Bardot in Le Trou Normand (1952). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1962
This was the penultimate film directed by Jean Boyer who began his career in 1930, focusing mainly on lightweight, commercial movies. In this case, Virginie might be a bit too fluffy, since the romantic comedy never gets very far below the surface, just like the boat on which it takes place. Olivier and Pierre (Jean-Marc Thibaut and Roger Pierre) have decided to sail to Argentina on their own large boat, and while on the ocean they plan on studying fish and filming their adventure (one is a scientist and the other a journalist). But fate steps in when the two rescue a pair of women, Betty and Brigitte (Michele Girardon and Mireille Dare), and as might be expected, a series of bumpy circumstances lead to romance all around. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger-Pierre, Jean-Marc Thibault, (more)
- 1958
Some songs are mixed into this uneven comedy by director Jean Boyer, a story about an off-the-wall waiter (Darry Cowl in a good performance) who has taken out a hefty life-insurance policy. Once this news gets into the wrong hands -- that is, the hands of those who might benefit from his demise -- there are several attempts on his life. Due to the inscrutable movement of Fate, all of these attempts fail miserably. But what happens to the would-be assassins is another story entirely. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Darry Cowl, Line Renaud, (more)
- 1958
Le Confident de ces Dames is a wacky though uneven comedy held up by the talents of Fernandel, playing a veterinarian. The vet's life is turned around completely when he finds himself assisting a woman who has been injured in an accident. He pulls the woman through the worst of the crisis and later, when the news gets out to all the media, he becomes a major hero. The woman, it turns out, is a well-known actress. Other women latch onto his name and, impressed by his deed, start flocking to him in droves to seek his help. The lowly veterinarian with his background in animal medicine is hardly equipped to handle female complaints -- and that is only one part of a few more adventures waiting in the wings. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernandel, Denise Grey, (more)
- 1958
Henri (Fernandel) returns to his homeland after spending several years abroad. Staying with a wealthy friend, he finds his friend is involved with a woman. The woman turns out to be Henri's former lover, and sparks rekindle between them. However, the flame goes out when Henri embarks on a harmless drunken escapade. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernandel, Pierre Dux, (more)
- 1957
The title of this French satirical comedy translates to The Unemployed Man of Clochemerle. In point of fact, there's only one unemployed man in the town Clochemerle, and that's the hapless Tistin (Fernandel). Obliged to use their tax money to keep Tistin from starving, the other townspeople insist that he find some sort of work. Tistin obligingly takes a few jobs, working for the various ladies in town. Before long, the menfolk become convinced that Tistin is playing the field, and they're angry at him all over again. And so it goes under a happy ending -- happy for everyone else, that is. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 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)
- 1956
Noel-Noel is the nonplused star of the aptly titled Le Terreur des Dames (The Terror of Women). The film's central character is a mild-mannered provincial soul who goes off on a drunken toot in Paris. The next morning, our hung-over hero discovers that he's somehow earned the reputation as a sex maniac! He spends the rest of the film searching for the women he's supposedly "disgraced," hoping to make profuse apologies. Yves Robert co-stars as a worldly-wise Parisian who observes Noel-Noel's plight with detached amusement. Le Terreur des Dames was adapted from a story by Guy de Maupassant. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Noël-Noël, Yves Robert, (more)
- 1955
Le Madelon is the name of the young heroine played by Line Renaud. During WWI, the gaminlike Madelon becomes the unofficial mascot of the French army. When she is falsely informed that her soldier fiancé has been unfaithful, Madelon heads to the front in search of her "wandering" sweetheart. Along the way, star Line Renaud is permitted to sing several vintage ballads and patriotic tunes, usually accompanied by a robust male military chorus. Keeping Le Madelon in the context of its time period are some well-chosen newsreel clips, some of them deployed satirically to comment upon the action. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Line Renaud, Jean Richard, (more)
- 1955
Maurice Chevalier is as roguishly charming as ever in J'Avais Sept Filles (I Had Seven Daughters). Chevalier plays an aging aristocratic roue who recalls his amorous history while writing his memoirs. His most vivid memory is the time that he became involved with a group of ballet dancers -- the "seven daughters" of the title. He is particularly interested in the welfare of prima ballerina Luisella (Delia Scala), though the other girls are equally easy on the eye. A bit old-fashioned in its approach, J'Avais Sept Filles is held together by the indomitable appeal of Maurice Chevalier, who seemed to get better as he grew older. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maurice Chevalier, Paolo Stoppa, (more)
Both a tribute to classic American gangster films and the source of inspiration for French New Wave filmmakers, Bob le Flambeur is the first in a series of stylish noirs that Jean-Pierre Melville started in the mid-'50s. Co-scripted by the popular crime writer Auguste Le Breton (Rififi), this is a story of ex-bank robber and compulsive gambler Bob (Roger Duchesne), who plans a heist at the Deauville casino. As in many films of that genre, he assembles a team of old friends and new acquaintances to do the job and is determined to perform it despite all the odds that continue to pile up before him. The overall tone is admirably lighthearted, however, and despite many stylistic and thematic references to American caper movies, the whole enterprise remains genuinely French. "This is a kind of film that we want to make!" exclaimed the young and rebellious François Truffaut back in 1955. Jean-Luc Godard, in his turn, acknowledged Melville's influence, giving him an extended cameo in Breathless. ~ Yuri German, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Duchesne, Isabelle Corey, (more)
- 1954
Sophia Loren stars in this screen adaptation of the popular Italian operetta "Il Paese del Campanelli" by Lombardo Ranzato. In a small town by the sea, there is an unusual tradition -- each home has a bell on the door, which rings only when the lady of the house has been unfaithful to her husband. All has been quiet in the town for many years, but when a ship from France pulls into port and the crew see the many beautiful women who call the village their home, things soon get a good bit noisier. Ces Voyous D'Hommes also features Mario Riva and Carlo Dapporto. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sophia Loren, Carlo Dapporto, (more)
- 1953
In this musical farce, bandleader Ray Ventura runs across a baby and mistakes it for his grandchild and takes the tot on tour with his orchestra. Meanwhile, the infant's parents frantically wonder where he has gone. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1952
It all begins when astronomer Charles (Michel Simon) spots a heretofore undiscovered exploding star while peering through his telescope. While calling his colleagues with the news, Charles inadvertently eavesdrops on a young girl, threatening suicide. In the interests of humanity, Charles decides to try to prevent this tragedy, thereby getting himself entangled with a narcotics ring and several nubile French chorines. Brigitte Aubry plays the would-be suicide with a sharp sense of comic timing (yes, this is a comedy), while comedian Robert Lamoreaux offers a virtual reenactment of his Parisian nightclub routine. English-language prints of Femmes de Paris were purged of the original's bare-bosom shots. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michel Simon, Henri Genes, (more)
- 1952
The title of this French low-comedy opus refers to a fancy, family-owned hotel. Village buffoon Hippolyte (Bourvil) hopes to inherit the hotel, but he's opposed by his crafty relatives. In order to qualify for the inheritance, Hippolyte is forced to enroll in grade school, from which he'd never graduated. Romance blossoms in the form of his sexy cousin Gavotte (Brigitte Bardot), but when Hippolyte learns that her interest in him is purely mercenary, he settles for good-hearted schoolmarm Madeline (Nadine Bassile). Le Trou Normand bears a remarkable resemblance to the 1985 Adam Sandler comedy Billy Madison. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bourvil, Nadine Basile, (more)
- 1952
Monsieur Fernandel plays the sheep-shearer, who makes a decision to say goodbye to the little lambs and to concentrate on the beautiful mademoiselles. Sacre bleu! It is tres funny (almost like the Jerry Lewis film, yes?) when Fernandel becomes the hairdresser, and begins clipping the ladies much in the manner of the sheep. And Fernandel's wife, she is not so happy over the many ladies that Fernandel is shearing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fernandel, Blanchette Brunoy, (more)
- 1952
Filmed in 1950 as Le Rosier de Madame Husson, The Prize was produced and scripted by Marcel Pagnol, of "The Marseilles Trilogy" fame. The plot is motivated by a contest, wherein a prize of 100,000 francs will be bestowed upon the most virtuous maiden in a tiny French village. Virtue being a scarce commodity hereabouts, the money is eventually claimed by a young man named Isidore (Bourvil). Once the farcical situation is played for all it's worth, the story segues into a comedy of errors, culminating in an episode in a faraway house of ill repute. The upshot of all this is that Isidore loses the crown of virtue almost as quickly as he won it. Jacqueline Pagnol, the wife of Marcel Pagnol, has an amusing role as a coquettish farm lass. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bourvil
