''Monsieur Hector'' is a 1940 French

musical comedy film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as break ...

based upon the play by

Pierre de Marivaux Pierre Carlet de Chamblain de Marivaux (; ; 4 February 1688 – 12 February 1763), commonly referred to as Marivaux, was a French playwright and novelist. Marivaux is considered one of the most important French playwrights of the 18th century, w ...

, directed by

Maurice Cammage Maurice Cammage is a French film director and dialoguist, born in 1882 and died on 15 April 1946 in Paris. Filmography * 1932 : '' Vive la classe'' * 1932 : '' Un beau jour de noces'' * 1932 : '' La Terreur de la pampa'' (script and dialogues ...

and starring

Fernandel Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin (8 May 1903 – 26 February 1971), better known as Fernandel, was a French comic actor. Born in Marseille, France, to Désirée Bedouin and Denis Contandin, originating in Perosa Argentina, a town located in th ...

Denise Grey Denise Grey (born Édouardine Verthuy; 17 September 1896 – 13 January 1996) was an Italian-born actress who became a naturalized French citizen. Biography Édouardine Grey was born in Châtillon in the Aosta Valley of north-west Italy, close ...

and

Georges Grey Georges Grey, born Georges-Jean-Joseph Gacon (1911–1954) was a French actor. In 1948 he starred in the film '' The Lame Devil'' under Sacha Guitry. Biography He studied engineering at university, before going to the Saumur Cavalry School. He ...

. It was shot at the

Neuilly Studios Neuilly-sur-Seine (; 'Neuilly-on-Seine'), also known simply as Neuilly, is an urban commune in the Hauts-de-Seine department just west of Paris in France. Immediately adjacent to the city, north of the Bois de Boulogne, the area is composed of ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Marcel Magniez Marcel Magniez (born 1888) was a French art director who designed sets for around forty film productions from the late 1920s to the early 1950s.Soister p.281 Selected filmography * '' Parisian Pleasures'' (1927) * ''A Dog That Pays Off'' (1932) ...

Synopsis

aristocrat The aristocracy (''from Greek'' ''ἀριστοκρατία'' ''aristokratía'', "rule of the best"; ''Latin: aristocratia'') is historically associated with a "hereditary" or a "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the ...

and his

valet A valet or varlet is a male servant who serves as personal attendant to his employer. In the Middle Ages and Ancien Régime, ''valet de chambre'' was a role for junior courtiers and specialists such as artists in a royal court, but the term "va ...

, after disappointments in life, decide to switch clothes and positions during the

Nice Carnival The Nice Carnival () is one of the world's major carnival events, alongside the Brazilian Carnival, Venetian Carnival, and Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It is held annually in February and sometimes early March (depending on the movable date of Ca ...

Cast

as Hector *

as Maroussia de Dragomir *

as Vicomte de Saint-Amand *

Gaby Wagner Gaby may refer to: People Gaby is short for Gabrielle, Gabriella or Gabriel, and in particular may refer to: *Gaby (singer) (born 1965), Panamanian Reggae en Español and Reggaeton singer and rapper *Gaby Aghion (1921–2014), French fashion des ...

as Jacqueline Monturot *

Raymond Rognoni Raymond Rognoni (; Paris, 16 August 1892 – Paris, 26 September 1965) was a French actor and comedian. He worked in the theatre and in film ('' Sylvie et le fantôme'', ''Les Enfants du Paradis''), sometimes credited as Rognoni. Biography Rognon ...

as Monturot *

Madeleine Suffel Madeleine Suffel (1899–1974) was a French film and stage actress.Palmer & Michael p.274 She played supporting roles in a number of films from the early 1930s onwards. Selected filmography * '' A Rare Bird'' (1935) * '' School for Coquettes'' (1 ...

as Suzanne *

Marthe Mussine Marthe may refer to: * Marthe (given name) a feminine given name * ''Marthe'' (novel), an 1876 novel by Joris-Karl Huysmans *''Marthe'', an 1877 play by Georges Ohnet * ''Marthe'' (film), a 1997 film by Gérard Jugnot People with the surname * W ...

as Chamber maid * Alice Deneige as Singer *

Rivers Cadet Rivers Cadet (1 March 1892 – 1 November 1968) was a French actor. Cadet was born Jean Maurice Large in Paris. He was the brother of Fernand Rivers. Selected filmography * '' Maurin of the Moors'' (1932) * '' The Ironmaster'' (1933) * '' Th ...

as Maître d'hôtel *

Marfa d'Hervilly Marfa Dhervilly (1876–1963) was a French stage and film actress.Goble p.182 Selected filmography * ''Orange Blossom'' (1932) * '' Beauty Spot'' (1932) * '' A Day Will Come'' (1934) * '' Sapho'' (1934) * ''The Pearls of the Crown'' (1937) * '' ...

as Old client * Pierre Ferval * Suzanne Fleurant as Client *

Édouard Francomme Édouard is both a French given name and a surname, equivalent to Edward in English. Notable people with the name include: * Édouard Balladur (born 1929), French politician * Édouard Boubat (1923–1999), French photographer * Édouard Colonne ...

Jacques Henley Jacques Henley (born Jacques Dhote) was a French actor. Selected filmography * '' Our Masters, the Servants'' (1930) * '' The Mystery of the Villa Rose'' (1930) * ''The Threepenny Opera'' (1931) * '' The Yellow Dog'' (1932) * ''The Regiment's Cha ...

as Client *

Philippe Richard Philippe Richard (24 June 1891 – 24 December 1973) was a French film and theater actor. Richard was born in Saint-Étienne and began his film career in the early 1920s in silent film. In 1948 he starred in the film '' The Lame Devil'' under Sa ...

as Manager * Jean-Jacques Steen *

Jean Témerson Jean Témerson (1898–1956) was a French actor. Selected filmography * ''The Lover of Madame Vidal'' (1936) - Guillaume - le domestique * '' With a Smile'' (1936) - Cam (uncredited) * '' Pépé le Moko'' (1937) - Gravère * '' Blanchette'' (1 ...

as Baron Grondin *

Eugène Yvernès Eugene is a common male given name that comes from the Greek εὐγενής (''eugenēs''), "noble", literally "well-born", from εὖ (''eu''), "well" and γένος (''genos''), "race, stock, kin".Georges Guétary Georges Guétary (), born Lambros Vorloou ( ; 8 February 1915 – 13 September 1997) was a French singer, dancer, cabaret performer and film actor, best known for his role in the 1951 musical ''An American in Paris''. Early life and career ...

as Tyrolien damner

Production

The film was shot during the last moments of the Phoney War. It is one of many films Fernandel has played in in 1940. The film's working title was ''Le Nègre du Negresco.''

Reception

Fulvio Fulvi, in his books about Fernandel, judged it was "an unpretentious film suited to the times".

References

Bibliography

* Quinlan, David. ''Quinlan's Film Stars''. Batsford, 2000.

External links

* 1940 films 1940 musical comedy films 1940s French-language films Films directed by Maurice Cammage Films scored by Casimir Oberfeld French musical comedy films French black-and-white films Films shot at Neuilly Studios Tobis Film films Films set in Nice 1940s French films French-language musical comedy films Films based on works by Pierre de Marivaux {{1940s-France-film-stub