Capitaine Pantoufle

Alfred Adam's play comes off pretty well in this screen adaptation: part Theatre De Boulevard ,part poetic reverie. A bank clerk(François Périer) is bored to death with his nine-to-five work under his boss's (Louis De Funès)watchful eye .His missus (Marthe Mercadier)is a pain in the neck and his -in-laws (Noel Roquevert and Jane Marken) as unbearable as ever.

So he invents an imaginary life ,à la Walter Mitty ,but he always stays in the neighborhood where he dreams of sailing away from this humdrum.He steals a tidy sum from his bank,just for the pleasure of dreaming of the mountain of things he could buy .

There's also Zite (Dominique Page),the house maid,perhaps the most original character of the story;she firstly appears as a bubble head girl à la Bécassine ,who has never phoned (her answer when it rings is worth the price of admission) and cannot cook pasta ;but further acquaintance shows a romantic girl who puts on the housewife's clothes and lives in a world of fantasy where she's got a wealthy father .

The best moment of the movie is when the two reveries meet;although there are the others,the last picture is ambiguous and lets the viewer imagine that maybe....

The light comedies side is more heavy-handed and the hero's so called stroke is a little repetitive ,but the good actors and some fine lines help .

Like this? try these......

"La Vie En Rose" Jean Faurez ,1947,also starring François Périer.

"Le 17ème Ciel" Serge Korber ,1965.