L'Héroïque Monsieur Boniface (1949)
Directed by Maurice Labro

Film Review

Despite having a plot that looks as if it was thrown together like a salad, with enough dreary clichés and archetypes to fill a museum, L'Héroïque Monsieur Boniface proved to be a smash hit with the French cinema-going public in 1949.  Having lived through the Nazi Occupation, the privations of war and then half a decade of post-war austerity the French were used to suffering en masse by this time - it's hard to see what else could explain how this dismal apology for a comedy could attract as large an audience as 3.3 million.  Encouraged by the film's improbable success its production team were quick to bring out a sequel - Boniface Somnambule (1951) - which is moderately better but still falls way short of being a classic.

The film and its sequel were directed (without much sign of enthusiasm and even less sign of ability) by Maurice Labro, who started out favourably with the tenebrous thriller Les Gosses menent l'enquête (1947) but ended up churning out mostly dull, insipid crowdpleasers like this.  Despite some occasional flourishes Labro never really lived up to his potential, although he did at least partly redeem himself with a few decent comedies - such as J'y suis, j'y reste (1954) - and a fairly impressive thriller, Le Fauve est lâché (1959).  Labro directed three Fernandel comedies in total, their final collaboration being the truly risible Blague dans le coin (1963).

In common with many of Fernandel film's of this benighted decade, L'Héroïque Monsieur Boniface looks like the crudest imitation of the kind of lowbrow Hollywood comedy to which the French became addicted in the 1930s and '40s.  The ramshackle plot is nothing more than a recycled mass of ideas lifted from American films of the comedy gangster ilk.  You half expect Edward G. Robinson to put in an appearance at any moment, but we have make to do with Fernandel's frequent sparring partner, Andrex, who quite frankly hasn't the gravitas or the talent to make a convincing comedy hoodlum.

Yves Deniaud makes more of an impact as Andrex's seemingly lobotomised strong-arm man.  A prolific character actor (completely wasted in films of this kind), Deniaud would later enjoy a brief taste of stardom after the runaway success of Monsieur Leguignon lampiste (1952), another film directed by Maurice Labro.  Liliane Bert makes next to no impression as Fernandel's love interest.  Her best scene is the one in which she is completely unconscious, man-handled over the set by Fernandel as he struggles vainly to get her to sit in a chair.  Often when Fernandel breaks into song for no apparent reason your heart sinks.  On this occasion, when he does so (with such instantly forgettable numbers as Extraordinaire and Ah! dites-moi) he provides a welcome relief from the excruciating monotony of the plot.  No wonder the 1940s is known in France as the Dark Decade.

Film Synopsis

Monsieur Boniface is a timid soul whose artistic leanings are amply satisfied by his job as a shop window-dresser.  Returning to his lodgings one evening he is surprised to find a corpse in his bed.  His attempts to bring this to the attention of a nearby gendarme proving futile, Boniface is then set upon by the gang of hoodlums who provoked the unfortunate man's demise.  Accepting the half-terrified Boniface's promise that he will say nothing about what he has witnessed, the crooks decide to let him go.  Not sure if he can trust the crooks to keep their side of the bargain, Boniface calls in at the gendarmerie the next day, but as soon as he sets foot in the street afterwards he is picked up by the hoodlums and taken to their hideout where his fate will be decided.

Boniface gains his release a second time by making a solemn promise that this time he will definitely keep his mouth shut.  Despite his best efforts, the fantastic exploits of the window-dresser soon become common knowledge and he is soon feted as a hero.  This time the gangster are in no mood to forgive the loose-tongued Boniface.  Their boss, Charly, decides to abduct his girlfriend, Irène, and thereby lure him to his doom.  Far from being intimidated by this turn of events, Monsieur Boniface finds himself transformed into a real hero, and without delay he throws himself into his final confrontation with the lowlife that have dared to force their way into his placid existence...