CLOCHEMERLE

France, 1948, 90 minutes, Black and white.
Felix Oudart, Saturnin Fabre, Jean Brochard.
Directed by Pierre Shenal.

Clochemerle raised some eyebrows in 1948 when it was first released. This is a satire about a French town. It is also a satire about the church and its stances, about the army and its behaviour.

There is a controversy in the town when a decision is made to build a public urinal. The religious women of the town are against the project. The army are brought in – and all kinds of licence ensues.

The film is broad satire, with some witty and some bawdy lines, a satire that would be more acceptable in later decades than it was at the time.


1. This film as a French classic? As a French film of the fourties? Black and white photography, sets, French style? Its appeal to overseas audiences?

2. What are the major qualities of comedy, satire, comedy of manners? How well were they utilised here?

3. How important was the narrative technique for the film? Inviting the audience in to participate and observe? To enjoy this picturing of life?

4. How typical of the French past was this cross-section of life meant to be? Its impact for Frenchmen? For observers of France?

5. How universal were the themes explored in this cross-section of French life? The varying aspects of human nature? Strengths and weaknesses? Human interactions? How accurate and telling?

6. Comment on the authority figures in the town. Their pomposity, their religious beliefs, their patriotic attitudes? The strengths and weaknesses of their characters? The satire on authority and its use and misuse?

7. Comment on the political characters in the film? The presentation of Left and Right-wing? Which characters illustrated these political stances best? The slogans and phrases used? Ways of behaviour?

8. How sympathetic the presentation of ordinary citizens? What are the qualities of ordinary human beings? Strengths and weaknesses? Forgivable foibles? Unforgivable weaknesses?

9. Comment on the film’s presentation of women. The varying women in the town and their position, their ways of behaviour? Attitude toward their husbands? Religious aspects, self-protection, scandalous women? How sympathetic and understanding a treatment of women?

10. The importance of the innkeeper and his wife? The neighbour and the wife deceiving her husband? The parody on the foolishness of the Innkeeper?

11. The presentation of the Countess, her role in the town, the memory of her past and her relying on this?

12. The focus of attention on the pregnant girl? The background of the girl’s family, the boy and his military work? The crisis that this involved? The varying attitudes of people tested by this situation? The Countess and those who helped the girl? The people who were scandalised? The Parish Priest and his treatment of the situation?

13. The presentation of the Parish Priest and religion? The comment on the Catholic background of France? The priest's role with the Sacraments, Mass, Confession? His riding his bike around and his contact with people?

14. The focus of attention on the monument? The satire in the nature of the monument? People’s attitudes being tested by their reaction to the monument? The humorous satire in the pomposity?

15. Themes of the relationship between men and women, love and lust, religion?

16. How accurate in its observation was this film? How important the attention to detail? How wisely humorous?