''Last Chance Castle'' (French: ''Le château de la dernière chance'') is a 1947 French

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Jean-Paul Paulin Jean-Paul Paulin (1902–1976) was a French film director, Film producer, producer and screenwriter.Goble p.202 Selected filmography Director * ''The Nude Woman (1932 film), The Nude Woman'' (1932) * ''The Abbot Constantine (1933 film), The Abbot ...

and starring

Nathalie Nattier Nathalie Nattier (1925–2010) was a French film actress.Goble p.397 Selected filmography * ''Gates of the Night'' (1946) * '' Patrie'' (1946) * ''Strange Fate'' (1946) * '' Special Mission'' (1946) * ''The Idiot'' (1946) * '' Last Chance Castle' ...

Robert Dhéry Robert Dhéry (27 April 1921 – 3 December 2004) (born Robert Léon Henri Fourrey or Robert Foullcy) was a French comedian, actor, director and screenwriter. He was married to actor Colette Brosset, with whom he appeared onstage in '' La Plume ...

and

Julien Carette Julien Henri Carette (23 December 1897 – 20 July 1966) was a French film actor. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1931 and 1964. Selected filmography * '' American Love'' (1931) * '' George and Georgette'' (1934) * '' My Heart I ...

.Djemaa p.41 Actress

Corinne Calvet Corinne Calvet (April 30, 1925 – June 23, 2001), born Corinne Dibos, was a French actress who appeared mostly in American films. According to one obituary, she was promoted "as a combination of Dietrich and Rita Hayworth", but her perso ...

appeared in a

supporting role A supporting character is a character in a narrative that is not the focus of the primary storyline, but is important to the plot/protagonist, and appears or is mentioned in the story enough to be more than just a minor character or a cameo ap ...

, shorted before she found stardom in

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...

. It was shot at the Saint-Maurice Studios in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

. The film's sets were designed by the art director Pierre Marquet.

Synopsis

Albert, a despairing man, prepares to commit suicide, but is saved by

Professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professor ...

Patureau-Duparc. The Professor is in need of volunteers for experiments of the new medicine he has invented which can change personalities and give people a positive outlook on life. He is taken to the

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

where he flourishes under the treatment, and meets the attractive Yolande.

Cast

as Yolande *

as Albert *

as Faustin *

Jean Marchat Jean Marchat (1902–1966) was a French film actor who appeared in around fifty films during his career. He made his film debut in 1931 and appeared in Maurice Tourneur's '' Departure'' the same year.Waldman p.144 Selected filmography * '' Depa ...

as Tritonel *

as Mme Tritonel *

Pierre Bertin Pierre Victor Théophile Bertin (24 October 1891 – 13 May 1984) was a French stage and film actor. In 1948, he starred in the film '' The Lame Devil'' under Sacha Guitry. He was the librettist of the opéra-comique ''La Gageure imprévue' ...

as Le professeur Patureau-Duparc *

Marguerite Pierry Marguerite Pierry (26 December 1887, Paris – 20 January 1963, Paris) was a French actress. Selected filmography * ''On purge bébé'' (1931) * '' The Two Boys'' (1936) * '' The Citadel of Silence'' (1937) * '' Southern Mail'' (1937) * ''Conf ...

as Mme Boze *

Odette Talazac Odette Talazac (1883–1948) was a French film actress.Capua p.129 Talazac was the daughter of tenor Jean-Alexandre Talazac and his wife, the soprano Hélène Fauvelle. She began her career singing in music halls before turning to the theater an ...

as Une cliente *

Marfa d'Hervilly Marfa may refer to: Music * Marfa (instrument), an African percussion instrument * Marfa (music), celebratory music of the Hyderabadi Muslims Places * Márfa, a village in Baranya county, Hungary * Marfa, Chad * Marfa, Texas, a city in the h ...

as Une cliente *

Maryse de Brandt Maryse is a given name. Notable persons with this name include: *Maryse Alberti, cinematographer *Maryse Condé, author *Maryse Dauvray, actress *Maryse Lassonde, neuropsychologist *Maryse Liburdi (formerly Maryse Thomas), CEO *Maryse Marpsat, soci ...

asUne cliente *

Jacques Sommet Ancient and noble French family names, Jacques, Jacq, or James are believed to originate from the Middle Ages in the historic northwest Brittany region in France, and have since spread around the world over the centuries. To date, there are over ...

as Un client *

Albert Michel Albert Michel (1909–1981) was a French stage, film and television actor.Paietta p.40 Selected filmography * ''Je chante'' (1938) - Un laitier (uncredited) * ''Ne bougez plus'' (1941) - Clanpinet * ''Chèque au porteur'' (1941) * ''Fièvres'' ...

as L'habilleur *

Luce Fabiole Luce may refer to: People * Luce (name), as a given name and a surname * Luce (singer) Places * Luče, a town in Slovenia * Luce, Minnesota, an unincorporated community * Luce Bay, a large Bay in Wigtownshire in southern Scotland * Luce Cou ...

as Le sujet * Danièle Franconville as Une cliente *

Louis de Funès Louis Germain David de Funès de Galarza (; 31 July 1914 – 27 January 1983) was a French actor and comedian. He is France's favourite actor, according to a series of polls conducted since the late 1960s, having played over 150 roles in fil ...

as Bar Patrion *

Frédéric Mariotti Frédéric Mariotti (1 April 1883 – 22 February 1971) was a French stage and film actor whose career spanned more than four decades through the early silent film era into the early 1950s. Biography Frédéric Mariotti was born in Marseille an ...

as Un actionnaire

References

Bibliography

* Djemaa, Pascal. ''Louis de Funès: le sublime antihéros du cinéma''. Autres temps, 2008. * Rège, Philippe. ''Encyclopedia of French Film Directors, Volume 1''. Scarecrow Press, 2009.

External links

* 1947 films 1947 comedy films French comedy films 1940s French-language films Films directed by Jean-Paul Paulin French black-and-white films 1940s French films Films shot at Saint-Maurice Studios Films scored by Georges Van Parys {{1940s-France-film-stub