Portrait de son père, Le (1953)

Director:

André Berthomieu

Writers:

André Berthomieu (writer)
Roger Pierre (dialogue script)

Release Date:

29 October 1953 (France)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Cast

Jean Richard	...	Paul
Michèle Philippe	...	Marie
Brigitte Bardot	...	Domino
Mona Goya	...	La mère de Paul / Mother
Frédéric Duvallès	...	M. Bourdingon / Director
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dorette Ardenne	...	Une vendeuse
Maurice Biraud	...	Didier
Charles Bouillaud	...	Martin
Daniel Cauchy	...	L'existentialiste
Max Desrau	...	Le barbu
Robert Destain	...	Le bègue
Max Elloy	...	Le chaffeur
Paul Faivre	...	Le notaire
Philippe Mareuil	...	Michel
Robert Moor	...	Le premier clerc
Maurice Nasil	...	Grégorian
Suzanne Nivette	...	La vieille dame
Roger Pierre	...	Le présentateur
Robert Rollis	...	Ferdinand
Annick Tanguy	...	La fleuriste (as A. Tanguy)
Nono Zammit

Also Known As:

His Father's Portrait (International: English title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Bertho Films

unknown but good

My guide on Brigitte Bardot-movies tells me that 'Le portrait de son pere' (= his father's portrait) was never issued in the USA or in England. Not even in the late fifties, when Bardot's fame had rocketed skyhigh, and her earlier movies were eagerly re-issued for a quick cash-in.

One can well wonder why. In 'Le portrait de son pere' French actor Jean Richard convincingly plays a simple country lad. He inherites the shares of a Paris department store, and becomes its succesful manager.

This very French comedy provides us with a good and consistent story, emphasizing on family values. The acting is good, too. Young Brigitte Bardot plays the manager's Parisian step-sister. She is a well educated young girl here, without even the slightest hint to sex and nudity. Throughout the entire movie the manager's behaviour towards Brigitte is strictly one of brotherly love and concern; Brigitte's behaviour towards him follows the same pattern. In the end both Brigitte and her step-brother run off with a different partner, and not with each other.

I guess it's this lack of anything immoral that makes this BB-movie so unknown outside France. Quite unjustified in my opinion, because 'Le portrait de son pere' is good. To appreciate it, maybe in your mind you should first disconnect Brigitte Bardot with her usual trademarks of slight immorality, sex and nudity.