Alexandre le bienheureux
Encyclopedia
Alexandre le bienheureux (Blissful Alexander) is a 1968
French
comedy film
, directed by Yves Robert
, starring Philippe Noiret
, Marlène Jobert
and Françoise Brion
. This was comic actor Pierre Richard
's second appearance on film, playing a secondary role toward the end of the plot.
The film has been released on DVD on 4 May 2004.
wife, being the only worker in his farm. Whenever he attempts to take a small rest, indulge in any distraction, or simply falls asleep out of exhaustion, there she is chasing him to move on. When she and her elderly parents are killed in a car accident, he decides that the time has come to take it easy and enjoy life a little, sets all his livestock free, and then practically disappears. The only clue that he is still alive is his dog, who periodically goes shopping to the nearby town with a basket in its mouth. Concerns about Alexander's fate are the center of the town's gossip. After several attempts, a delegation sent by the citizens finds he has retired —to his bed. This creates no small social upheaval in this working-class small French town where hard work is regarded as a virtue, and hence his attitude is viewed as a scandal and a menace.
1968 in film
The year 1968 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 30 - The film The Lion in Winter, starring Katharine Hepburn, debuts.* November 1 - The MPAA's film rating system is introduced.-Top grossing films :- Awards :...
French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
, directed by Yves Robert
Yves Robert
Yves Robert was a French actor, screenwriter, director, and producer.Born in Saumur, Maine-et-Loire, in his teens Robert went to Paris to pursue a career in acting, starting with unpaid parts on stage in the city's various theatre workshops. To support himself, he worked at a variety of jobs...
, starring Philippe Noiret
Philippe Noiret
Philippe Noiret was a French film actor.-Biography:Noiret's father was in the clothes trade. Philippe was an indifferent scholar and attended several prestigious Paris schools, including the Lycée Janson de Sailly. He failed several times to pass his baccalauréat exams, so he decided to study...
, Marlène Jobert
Marlène Jobert
Marlène Jobert is a French actress, singer and author.Jobert was born in Algiers, Algeria , the daughter of Andrée and a father who flew for the French Air Force. She is a Pied-Noir of Jewish heritage. She came to Metropolitan France when aged 8...
and Françoise Brion
Françoise Brion
Françoise Brion is a French film actress. She has appeared in 75 films since 1957. She starred in the 1963 film L'Immortelle, which was entered into the 13th Berlin International Film Festival...
. This was comic actor Pierre Richard
Pierre Richard
Pierre Richard is a popular French actor best known for the roles of a clumsy daydreamer in comedy films...
's second appearance on film, playing a secondary role toward the end of the plot.
The film has been released on DVD on 4 May 2004.
Brief summary
Philippe Noiret plays a henpecked childless farmer that lives oppressed by his authoritarian and materialisticMaterialism
In philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...
wife, being the only worker in his farm. Whenever he attempts to take a small rest, indulge in any distraction, or simply falls asleep out of exhaustion, there she is chasing him to move on. When she and her elderly parents are killed in a car accident, he decides that the time has come to take it easy and enjoy life a little, sets all his livestock free, and then practically disappears. The only clue that he is still alive is his dog, who periodically goes shopping to the nearby town with a basket in its mouth. Concerns about Alexander's fate are the center of the town's gossip. After several attempts, a delegation sent by the citizens finds he has retired —to his bed. This creates no small social upheaval in this working-class small French town where hard work is regarded as a virtue, and hence his attitude is viewed as a scandal and a menace.
Cast
- Philippe NoiretPhilippe NoiretPhilippe Noiret was a French film actor.-Biography:Noiret's father was in the clothes trade. Philippe was an indifferent scholar and attended several prestigious Paris schools, including the Lycée Janson de Sailly. He failed several times to pass his baccalauréat exams, so he decided to study...
— Alexandre - Françoise BrionFrançoise BrionFrançoise Brion is a French film actress. She has appeared in 75 films since 1957. She starred in the 1963 film L'Immortelle, which was entered into the 13th Berlin International Film Festival...
— La Grande, Alexandre's wife - Marlène JobertMarlène JobertMarlène Jobert is a French actress, singer and author.Jobert was born in Algiers, Algeria , the daughter of Andrée and a father who flew for the French Air Force. She is a Pied-Noir of Jewish heritage. She came to Metropolitan France when aged 8...
— Agathe - Paul Le PersonPaul Le PersonPaul Le Person was a French actor. He appeared in more than ninety films from 1963 to 2005.-Selected filmography:- External links :...
— Sanguin - Tsilla Chelton — Madame Bouillot
- Léonce CorneLéonce CorneLéonce Corne was a French film actor. He appeared in 120 films between 1931 and 1974.-Selected filmography:* Forces occultes * Return to Life * We Are All Murderers...
— Lamendin - Pierre RichardPierre RichardPierre Richard is a popular French actor best known for the roles of a clumsy daydreamer in comedy films...
— Colibert - Jean Saudray — Pinton
- Marcel Bernier — Malicorne
- Bernard Charlan — The mayor
- Madeleine Damien — Madame Boisseau
- Pierre Maguelon — Verglandier
- François Vibert — Alexandre's father in law
- Jean CarmetJean CarmetJean Carmet, born July 25, 1920 in Bourgueil, Indre-et-Loire, France; died April 20, 1994 in Sèvres, Hauts-de-Seine, was a French actor.-Biography:...
— La Fringale