When he releases a genie from a vase, a wealthy banker is granted one
wish. Without hesitation, the banker asks that he may become a
young man once more, whilst retaining all his hard-earned
experience. The immediate result of this magical transformation
is that the bank goes bust, as it has apparently lost its highly
respected owner. In the end, the unfortunate banker comes to
realise the virtues of age...
Cast:Jules Berry (Charles Vigne),
Suzet Maïs (Mathilde),
Jean Tissier (Gégène),
Saturnin Fabre (Abdul),
Paul Azaïs (Paulo),
Sinoël (Gédéon),
Christian Argentin (Vilmotte),
Claude Bertin (Charles Vigne junior),
Lucien Blondeau (L'antiquaire),
Max Dalban (P'tit Louis),
Olivier Darrieux (Un bandit),
Monique Dubois (Yvette),
Lucas Gridoux (Le producteur),
Pierre Juvenet (Bajaudel),
Paul Lluís (Le psychiatre),
Arlette Merry (Martine),
Huguette Montréal (La nurse),
Robert Moor (Le médecin),
Jacqueline Plessis (La cliente),
Jacques Roussel (Un actionnaire)
Country: France
Language: French
Support: Black and White
Runtime: 95 min
The very best fantasy films in French cinema
Whilst the horror genre is under-represented in French cinema, there are still a fair number of weird and wonderful forays into the realms of fantasy.
In the 1940s, the shadowy, skewed visual style of 1920s German expressionism was taken up by directors of American thrillers and psychological dramas, creating that distinctive film noir look.
It was American film noir and pulp fiction that kick-started the craze for thrillers in 1950s France and made it one of the most popular and enduring genres.
A wave of fresh talent in the late 1950s, early 1960s brought about a dramatic renaissance in French cinema, placing the auteur at the core of France's 7th art.