Le Schpountz
1938, NR, 160 min.
Directed by Marcel Pagnol, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Robert Vattier, Léon Belières, Orane Demazis, Fernandel.

This little-seen movie pairs one of France’s great classical directors, Marcel Pagnol, with one of the great comic talents ever recorded on film, Fernandel. The comedy satirizes the film industry as it follows a country bumpkin ­ the titular Le Schpountz ­ who is led to believe that he is a great actor by an on-location film crew. The mixture of comedy and pathos was a Fernandel specialty.

“Vive la joie de rire: French Comedies” is a monthly series that focuses on film examples of French humor. Doors open for snacks and conversation a half hour before the screening.

This article appears in April 20 • 2001.

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Marjorie Baumgarten is a film critic and contributing writer at The Austin Chronicle, where she has worked in many capacities since the paper's founding in 1981. She served as the Chronicle's Film Reviews editor for 25 years.