Le mort en fuite

It requires a first class actor to convincingly portray a talentless one. Here we have two of the best playing two of the worst. The 'worst' are Hector and Achille who concoct a fantastic plan to achieve overnight celebrity that involves Hector disappearing and Achille being arrested for his murder, only for Hector to reappear and expose a miscarriage of justice. However nobody seems to notice Hector's absence and Achille has a hell of a job getting himself arrested. To cut a long story short Hector manages to escape a firing squad in Poland(!) and saves Achille from the embrace of Madame la Guillotine in the nick of time. As for the 'best' we have Jules Berry as Hector and Michel Simon as Achille. Two magical and mesmerising actors who began in silent films and were still performing until the last years of their lives. Simon's appearances in the 1950's were sporadic due to a debilitating illness. French cinema would have been immeasurably poorer but for their presence and Simon was undoubtedly touched by genius. They are ably supported by Marie Glory as a vacuous, publicity-hungry 'artiste dramatique' and there is a marvellous turn by Marcel Vibert as a lawyer who plays to the gallery in the hilarious courtroom scene. Directed with esprit by Andre Berthomieu, with great dialogue by Carlo Rim and a masterclass in comic timing by Simon and Berry. Made nigh on 85 years ago this piece belongs to that rarified breed, 'a truly timeless comedy'.