Except maybe the title. The film has been described as heartwarming in other posts, but it's more sophisticated than it is sentimental. It is funny and charming throughout, and strongly flavored with emotion. Frank words like erection and intercourse are never used (English is more naked than French, Boyer says at one point), but the moment when the young boy has his first sexual feelings, as he watches a magician's luscious blonde assistant, leaves no doubt about the movie's sexual theme, which is handled with exquisite tenderness.
There is nothing flashy about the film-making-- the stage play was opened up rather minimally, allowing the strength of the writing and the acting to shine. And both do. It's hardly worth singling out any one performer, the ensemble works so well together, though the three Bonnard brothers-- Boyer, Jourdan, Kasznar-- are particularly fine, especially when they gang up on the schoolmaster. This is an all but forgotten movie-- witty and wise, graceful and bold-- that has true greatness in it.
There is nothing flashy about the film-making-- the stage play was opened up rather minimally, allowing the strength of the writing and the acting to shine. And both do. It's hardly worth singling out any one performer, the ensemble works so well together, though the three Bonnard brothers-- Boyer, Jourdan, Kasznar-- are particularly fine, especially when they gang up on the schoolmaster. This is an all but forgotten movie-- witty and wise, graceful and bold-- that has true greatness in it.