Le petit baigneur

Louis de Funès will always remain the best French comedian there ever was. His mimics, his nervous character, his shouting and raging, I just can't get enough of it. I watched Le Petit Baigneur so many times, like all other movies with Louis de Funès, and it's still funny. It's the kind of comedies that remind me of my youth, when watching a movie with Louis de Funès was a family thing, a guarantee for a funny movie night. Le Petit Baigneur is probably not his best one, but it's certainly not the worst either. Even after more than fifty years later I still think about Castagnier every time I see a ginger head passing by. There are old movies that don't age well, but this one is not one of them, it's still as funny as the first time I watched it.

It took me years and years (and also some of my wife's persistence) to finally appreciate this movie for what it really is: an almost completely absurd, disjointed and surrealistic comedy, owing a lot to Jacques Tati ("Mon Oncle") and perhaps also to some Laurel & Hardy entries. I am thinking here of those Stan Laurel gags which defy logic, cinematographic or otherwise, which style I recognize here in scenes such as the hysterical one where De Funès "air-plays" some violin bit, which logically only the viewer can hear the in-sync sound of in the soundtrack, then accuses his wife of having actually played this music instead of him, since such things run in HER family… I think that viewers who cannot get or appreciate this kind of humor miss the point with this film because it relies a lot on such absurdity. And it is this absurdity which sets it apart uniquely in the De Funès filmography of this specific era.

The direction and editing superbly serve this style of screenplay – see the scene where De Funès destroys his boats in a tantrum and how he interacts with objects which do not appear to be controlled by any off-camera prop men… just by the laws of gravity and the like! The boat chase at the end is also a nice, pleasantly rural/natural relief from the traditional car, plane or chopper chases in some of those other De Funès films, and I love how the gags with the wakes and waves are built and shot!

Once upon a time, long before the raise of lousy actors such Christian Clavier and his VISITEURS crap, where you need some help to know when to laugh, there were excellent movies, with Louis De Funès for instance, really funy, full of gags and also chiseled by terrific dialogues and over the top acting. I am not fond of comedies, especially Frenchie ones, so corny, for only concerning fifties and early sixties, starring the likes of Darry Cowl and directed by such film makers as Raoul André, Andre Berthomieu, Jean Boyer, Jack Pinoteau...But directors such Robert Lamoureux, Jean Girault, Yves Robert or Robert Dhéry, especially starring Louis de Funès, that's another matter. Here, De Funès is the master of ceremony; without him Robert Dhéry would certainly have failed. But who cares, just enjoy and laugh. You'll know when to laugh, unlike LES VISITEURS.

Aquatic premise is just lots of ships utilized in this mid-tier comedy with funny sequences from De Funes.

Louis de Funès is, without a doubt, one of the greatest comedic actors of all time. His exaggerated facial expressions, frantic energy, and impeccable timing make every scene he's in more entertaining. Le Petit Baigneur is another example of his genius, filled with slapstick humor, misunderstandings, and chaotic situations that spiral out of control in the most hilarious ways.

That being said, the movie is sometimes hard to follow. The pacing can feel a bit off, and certain scenes drag on longer than necessary. While it has plenty of funny moments, it doesn't quite reach the brilliance of Le Gendarme de Saint-Tropez or La Grande Vadrouille. The story itself is simple, following an unlucky boat designer caught between a demanding boss and a series of ridiculous situations.

Despite its flaws, it's still a great comedy, especially if you enjoy classic French humor. Funès carries the entire film on his back, and his performance alone makes it worth watching. If you're a fan of vintage comedies with absurd yet charming humor, this is a solid choice.