Fric-Frac **** (1939, Michel Simon, Fernandel, Arletty) – Classic Movie Review 11,501

Three of France’s best ever film players, Fernandel, Michel Simon and Arletty, star in directors Maurice Lehmann and Claude Autant-Lara’s bright and funny 1939  French comedy film Fric-Frac about jewellery shop salesman Marcel (Fernandel) mixed up with Jo (Simon)’s robbery plan to sting his employer when he falls for jewel thief Loulou (Arletty).

As the title suggests, it is written in old crooks’ argot (Fric-Frac is slang for ‘breaking and entering’) and mostly virtually untranslatable. But, never mind, the playing, plot, atmosphere and repartee are all very lively indeed, and the mood of both caper comedy and romantic comedy is delightfully light-hearted, witty and clever. Fernandel and Arletty are a joy.

Fric-Frac is written by Michel Duran, based on a 1936 stage play by Édouard Bourdet, the theatre director of the Comédie-Française. Arletty and Michel Simon played their same roles in the stage version.

Fric-Frac was shot in March and April 1939 at the Laboratoires et Studios Eclair in Épinay-sur-Seine.

The film was released in France on 15 June 1939.

Autant-Lara was uncredited but, according to Arletty, he did all the direction and Maurice Lehmann was mainly the producer.

Fernandel and Arletty.

The main cast are Fernandel as Marcel, Arletty as Loulou, Michel Simon as Jo, Hélène Robert as Renée, Marcel Vallée as the jeweller Mercadier, Jacques Varennes as Tintin, Andrex as Petit Louis, René Génin as Blin, Georges Lannes as Fernand, Génia Vaury as La Grande Marie.

Fric-Frac is directed by Claude Autant-Lara and Maurice Lehmann, runs 120 minutes, is made by CCFC, is released by Les Distributeurs Français, is written by Michel Duran, based on a play by Édouard Bourdet, is shot in black and white by Armand Thirard and Louis Née, is produced by Maurice Lehmann, is scored by Casimir Oberfeld, and is designed by René Renoux.

Arletty was found guilty of treason and imprisoned in 1945 for 18 months for her liaison with a German Luftwaffe officer during the wartime occupation of France. Most of the sentence was served in a private chateau. She allegedly later commented: ‘My heart is French but my ass is international’.

Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,501

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