The Joker (1960 film)

The Joker (French: Le Farceur) is a 1960 French comedy film directed by Philippe de Broca.

The Joker
Original title French poster
Directed byPhilippe de Broca
Produced byClaude Chabrol
Roland Nonin
Written byPhilippe de Broca
Daniel Boulanger
StarringJean-Pierre Cassel
Anouk Aimée
Music byGeorges Delerue
CinematographyJean Penzer
Edited byLaurence Méry-Clark
Distributed byLes Films Fernand Rivers, Guamont
Release date
  • August 1960 (1960-08)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench

Plot

Edouard Berlon is a young, incorrigible seducer who moves very lightly from one affair to the next. He meets Helene Larouch, a woman married to André, a rich financier who is very busy with his affairs, leaving her in an emotionally arid life. Initially Helene resists Edouard's wooing, but as she gets to know his lively character, his eccentric lifestyle and his very unusual family environment, including his old uncle Théodose, his brother Pilou, servat Olga, some infants, and a few stray dogs, she lets herself become seduced. Their relation, however, turns out to be an ephemeral one as Edouard is busy seducing another woman.[1][2][3][4]

Cast

Release

The film had its premiere at the Locarno Film Festival in August 1960, but was not released commercially until 20 January 1961 in France and 7 August 1961 in New York. During the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, the film was presented with other classics at the Cinéma de la Plage,[5] a non-competitive part of the official selection that is open to the public. In 12 November 2013, the film was presented at the Cinémathèque québécoise, Montréal.[6]

Critical response

The film has been described as "a lot of genial fun" as the plot evolves. It also has been described as whimsical and in parts "nutty" for the eccentric lifestyle of the hero and his family.[3] French critics, on the other hand, find subtle qualities in the presentation of the characters as uncle Théodose is described as "an original, old uncle" as well as poetic connotations in the overall work.[7][8]

References
  1. "Le Farceur". unifrance.org (in French). Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  2. "Le Farceur > Résumé". cinema.encyclopedie.films.bifi.fr. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  3. Bosley Crowther (8 August 1961). "Screen: Whimsical French Comedy:Joker' Has Premiere at 2 Theatres Here Jean-Pierre Cassel in the Leading Role". nytimes.com. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  4. James Travers. "Le Farceur (1961)". filmsdefrance.com. Retrieved 27 July 2017.
  5. "Cinema de la Plage 2012". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  6. "Projections - Le Farceur". cinematheque.qc.ca. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  7. Aurélien Ferenczi (6 July 2013). "Le farceur". telerama.fr (in French). Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  8. "Avis sur le film Le Farceur". senscritique.com. Retrieved 31 July 2017.


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