Garou-Garou, le passe-muraille

A baby story in which we see the sympathetic Bourvil, Jean-Pierre Melville's excellent actor in "Le Cercle Rouge" and Jean-Pierre Mocky's "Heaven Sent" Un drôle de paroissien (original title), as he passes through some walls. Nothing else.

I saw this film once in the mid fifties when I was quite young and it had a lasting influence on me. Although I have not seen it since that time I think of it often & would love to see it again. What I can remember of the plot, it is a modern fantasy adventure romance. Maurice is a young man who can walk through walls and has an effervescent nature, very endearing and warm. During his adventures he meets a girl who entrances him and the love story is woven in and around zany chases. The punch line is very poignant and carries a serious moral wallop. Its funny how the story of an old movie can linger, speak across many years and effect the lives of people long after the last show. I believe there was a bit of popularity for this film, really something very new in the cinemas of the day, a moral sci fi of mysterious origin. The hearing of this moral imparts insight into the reality of the day. The understanding allows for success of the organism and is considered the highest form of comedy. Not really a farce but farcical/ also pertinent was the failure of the sequel to be sympathetic to the plight of the fallen hero.

This is one of the most delightful comedies I've ever seen. Originally viewed on WOR-TV's "Million Dollar Movie" in the 1950's, I've never forgotten it's fabulous plot and characters. Imagine, one day, finding that you can walk through walls! Our hero is fabulously portrayed by Bourvil -- and Joan Greenwood is perfect as a cat burglar. My only regret is that I've not seen this film since the 1950s and wish it were available on video tape!

I will echo the comments from Barslater. This is politically complex for all of being a romantic fantasy, more mature in its attitudes than the French have been since they produced it. Back in the days when I put together film programs for science fiction conventions, I tried very hard to find a rental copy to show and never could.

The film is rather more elaborate than its source material, a short story by Marcel Ayme, "The Walker Through Walls," which is ironically more easily available than the film. The film was shown on channel 13 in Baltimore, and since their massive catalog of prints (they were a DuMont station originally with a lot of time to fill) was sold the the Merican Film Instutute, it should really be available somehow.

I saw the Bourvil version in English someplace when I was young & have never seen it since. I wonder if its available anywhere on Earth. It was funny and something about it made me remember it to this day. It was not subtitled, because I doubt as a kid I would have bothered watching it. The star "Bourvil" a French guy I have never seen since was a blundering goof-ball, who just stumbled into falling thru walls, into peoples lives & at the end I believe he lost his power. I think there was some kind of romantic involvement as well in the story, but I cant remember any details.I also think it was in the 1950s, as I had to be preteen.If anyone knows where that can be acquired, I'd love to know.