Cocagne

Another mediocre Fernandel movie at the beginning of his last decade;he was back in his dear Provence but the atmosphere of Arles and the Camargue is not enough if there is not a great director behind,say,someone like Marcel Pagnol.

Here Maurice Cloche does not rise to the occasion;the story tries to exploit the fact that Van Gogh used to live in this part of France : a modest garbage man becomes overnight a painter with big ambitions ;he leaves his home and family (a rather macho son)and lives (a platonic relation) with the waitress of the local café who admires her .There's also a subplot which leads nowhere: a wealthy man's daughter is in love with a poor wop but fortunately the old man has a heart attack.Journalist Leon Zitrone comes to interview him but he barely lets him say two words .

Try "Heureux Qui Comme Ulysse instead "(1970):it was Fernandel's last part,and his goodbye to Provence is moving.