Hibernatus

For the second time director Edouard Molinaro and French comic star Louis De Funès worked together, after "Oscar" (1967).

In 1969 a group of scientists discover a frozen body, which belongs to a young man of 1900. This man still lives and after many adventures his custody is granted to his family (Louis De Funès and his wife, who is...the granddaughter of the man!). For avoiding him the big shock of living at the end of the Sixties, all his family dress and behave as if they were at the beginning of the century!

The comedy shows again the qualities of De Funès, who was unique with grimaces and nervous tics. The French actor was like a clown, many children and adults adored him.

"Hibernatus" is a nice movie, although a little too pretentious -De Funès made better films-. The story is a bit absurd, but the picture is still watchable for his leading actor.

The frozen body of Paul Fournier (Bernard Alane) is discovered in Greenland where he had disappeared during a scientific expedition circa1905. Perfectly conserved he is brought back to life in the 1960 to surprise of investigators and scientists . His descendants , a wealthy upper-class man named Hubert de Tartas (wonderfully played by the great Louis de Funes) and his wife Edmée de Tartas (Claude Gensac) take care of him . To spare him the cultural shock they behave so to make believe it's 1905 , as he is not aware that many decades have passed . But things go wrong when some fake characters pose as his ascendants causing confusion and mayhem .

This enjoyable film is a Louis de Funes recital , he stooges , makes acrobatics , tongue twister and puts faces and grimaces . It's a pretty amusing farce that will appeal to Funes fans . In this top-notch comedy , here the splendid and brilliant comedian Louis de Funes plays a stiff-upper-lip , rich businessman called Hubert de Tartas about to marry his son , Didier de Tartas , actual real-life son, Olivier De Funes , all of them get in trouble when his wife's grandfather has been revived thanks to science . Very stylish Seventies film with full of color , fast-moving , as well as overacting , twisted mountage , gaudy scenarios , lavish production , dated gowns , and anything else. Funny and entertaining Louis de Funes vehicle in which he shows his ordinary excessive vein that we watch before. Here Funes faces a quite weird problem , boasting his farsical skills and extraordinary qualities that we see very often. Louis de Funès shot to international fame in the 1960's after his roles in such slapstick comedies as Gendarme Saint-Tropez (1964) and the Fantomas (1964) trilogy . He brilliantly portrayed a funny French policeman , whose hilarious hyperactivity , uncontrolled anger, and sardonic laughter produced a highly comic effect. Funès was voted the most favorite actor in France in 1968, and remained very popular in Europe during the 1970's. He also continued to play on stage during his career as a film star, and was acclaimed for his stage works in classic French theatre . Funès was instrumental in making film adaptations of such theatre plays as 'Oscar continues' and the Molière's 'The Miser', among other plays . His first cinematic roles were "Devil and 10 Commandments" , "Captain Fracassa" , "La Vendetta" until his biggest hits as "Don't look we are being shot" along with Bourvil , Fantomas trilogy along with Jean Marais , Mylene Demengeot : "Fantomas" , "Fantomas Strikes Again", "Fantomas vs Scotland Yard" , to "The Cadillac Man" , "The Restaurant" , "Wing and the thigh" and his last film feature : "The mad adventures of Rabbi Jacob" . Although Funes really excelled in Ludovico Cruchot series as "Le Gendarme of Saint Tropez" , "Gendarme in Balade", "Le Gendarme in N. Y." , "Le Gendarme and creatures of outer space" and "Le Gendarme and Gendarmettes".

Hibernatus (1969) displays a charming and lively musical score by Georges Delerue with plenty of attractive and catching sounds . As well as atmospheric and colorful cinematography in Eastmancolor by cameraman Marcel Crignon . The film was well directed by Eduardo Molinaro who orchestrates the action with military precision, injecting attractive life into the proceedings. Movie director and screenwriter Molinaro was a good French filmmaker who made all kinds of genres with penchant for Comedy , in fact his most commercial films have been comedies . He started making short films and won several amateur film awards before working on feature films as an assistant director in 1949 . Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1961 , this French director of the New Wave movement started out making crime films, before directing his first big hit : Oscar (1967) , being best known for commercially successful comedies , as he directed : Le souper, Beaumarchais the scoundrel , L'amour en douce , Palace and his biggest boxoffice : La Cage aux folles that had its successful American version : The mad Cage . Hibernatus (1969) Picture is a Funes vehicle , and many consider his best comedy , he's an authentic comedian and real farceur . If you like Louis de Funes's crazy interpretation , you will most definitely enjoy this one .

I love Louis de Funès. His unique, very funny character makes me forget that he actually always played the same roles, or: whatever role he played, the role became like him. Many French films of the 1960s would have been boring and unsuccessful without him.

The story of this movie was surely not tailor-made for Louis. It wouldn't need him, Louis is only an additional bonus here. „Hibernatus` is an absurd little comedy based on a completely crazy idea. A man is found alive in the ice after sixty-five years and in order to spare him the shock of waking up in a completely different world, the whole town is „dressed` like in 1905. Louis de Funès' family takes over responsibility for the man and of course, Louis is the one who suffers because of that.

The film is very short and I suppose, it shouldn't be longer. It has many funny moments apart from the basically great idea. Playful, creative, sweet.

Arctic expedition finds the frozen body of Paul Fournier in Greenland. He stayed in eternal cold for sixty five years and was brought to life in 1970. He is taken care by the family of his descendants and he believes that it is still 1905 and he had a riding accident after which he had developed some memory problems. By his doctor's request, to spare him the shock of waking up, the house he stays in and the streets surrounded it are redecorated to look like in the beginning of the 20th century. He does not know that the woman he believes his mother is his granddaughter and her polite but slightly hyper fiancée (De Funes) has been her husband for over twenty years. The movie belongs to Luis De Funes as all his comedies do. I'd like to name just a few - the trilogy of Fantômas movies where De Funes was energetic, bubbling with the mad ideas, clumsy and hilarious Commissar Juve; "La Grande vadrouille" (1966) where he shared the screen with another French legend, Bourvil, and "Oscar" (1967) which he simply stole with his performance. During his long career De Funes learned how to make every viewer in the audience laugh – not just laugh but almost die from laughing. While watching "Hibernatus" again after many years, I almost fall from the couch – my husband and our friends had more fun watching me than the movie.

De Funes movies have filled my childhood and "Hibernatus" didn't leave me a good memory. At the time, I couldn't stand the doctor (Londsale) and the "hibernatus". In addition, i felt stuck in the big old furnished mansion.

Today, I find it rather enjoyable. The "hibernatus" really appears during the second half of the movie and the interview of the actor 30 years later available on the bonus helps soften his character. Moreover, De Funes steals the show as always and has the genius to turn "bad" guys into memorable characters.

As I underlined in other reviews, a truly good comedy surprises you at each viewing because you can't remember all the funny moments. This is also the case here.

In comparison with today movies, its short length (80 min) is appreciable because it's fast paced and has no time out.