Adhemar ou Le Jouet de la Fatalité

A fitfully amusing, lightly cruel series of elaborations by Guitry on the theme of the tyranny of appearance. A philanthropist with a great mis-shapen nose sets up a com- mittee to help other victims of 'phenomenal physiognomy'. Along comes Fernandel, comparatively normal looking but whose misfortune, he explains, is that his face makes people laugh. All his jobs - undertaker, theatre prompt, casino detective, nurse - end by illustrating how fine feelings are at the mercy of a funny face. It's wrapped up with a grotesque final sketch and a sentimental song. Fernandel is quite subdued, both as director and star, as if aware that the subject goes too deep for mere farce. Now if Guitry himself had directed it...