Review by claudecat

A comic but ultimately transgressive tale of a socially inept schoolmaster who must confront his own principles. Is he too honest for his own good? Or is it the town that needs cleaning up? Louis Jouvet gives his usual stunning performance as the professor, whose troubles are either caused or solved by the snappy Edwige Feuillère, in her amazing Schiaparelli getups. Some of the film-making is a bit primitive (e.g., a heavy handed cross-fade from a horse's tail to the rear of a character, and the usual harsh sound mix of French films from this period), but the good acting and thought-provoking plot (not the mention the art deco designs) make the film worthwhile.