''Santa Claus is a Stinker'' (, , or 'Father Christmas is a shit') is a French comedy play created in 1979 by the troupe

Le Splendid Le Splendid is a café-théâtre company founded in Paris by a collection of writers and actors in the 1970s: Christian Clavier, Michel Blanc, Gérard Jugnot, Thierry Lhermitte (four childhood friends who knew one another from the Lycée Pasteur ...

and turned into a film directed by

Jean-Marie Poiré Jean-Marie Poiré (; born 10 July 1945), also credited as Jean-Marie Gaubert, is a French film director, and screenwriter. He is the son of the producer Alain Poiré. Filmography As director * ''Les petits câlins'' (''The Little Wheedlers'') (19 ...

in 1982.

Plot

Pierre, a stuffy and self-righteous volunteer at a telephone helpline for depressed people, and his well-meaning but naïve co-worker Thérèse, are stuck with the Christmas Eve shift in the Paris office, much to their displeasure. The building's lift is malfunctioning, and they receive visits from unwanted callers: Katia, a depressed

transvestite Cross-dressing is the act of wearing clothes traditionally or stereotypically associated with a different gender. From as early as pre-modern history, cross-dressing has been practiced in order to disguise, comfort, entertain, and express onesel ...

who tries to hit on Pierre; M. Preskovitch who lives in the same building and always turns up unexpectedly to offer them various unappetizing pastries; and Josette, a heavily pregnant woman on the run from her violent fiancé Félix who is trying to get her to come back home to cook the Christmas Eve dinner. However, what was supposed to be a calm working evening, quickly turns sour.

The origin of the doubitchous

P1220786_Paris_X_rue_du_Fbg-Saint-Martin_n48_Le_Spendid_rwk

The pastries used in the film are a creation of Josiane Balasko who had travelled to

Osijek Osijek () is the fourth-largest city in Croatia, with a population of 96,848 in 2021. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja ...

, in Croatia, the birthplace of her father. During her stay the actress discovered funny local specialties which gave her the inspiration of the doubitchous of the film.

The painting used in the film

The painting depicting Thérèse with a pig used in the film is different from the one used for theatre version of ''Le père Noël est une ordure''. Two different artists have painted the two pieces: Bernard de Desnoyers and Christoff Debusschere. Today the painting that was used to shoot the film is in the hands of its author, Bernard de Desnoyers, who has kept the work.

English (US) remake of the film

In 1994 the basic plot was used by writer/director

Nora Ephron Nora Ephron ( ; May 19, 1941 – June 26, 2012) was an American journalist, writer, and filmmaker. She is best known for writing and directing romantic comedy films and received numerous accolades including a British Academy Film Award as ...

to develop the US film ''

Mixed Nuts ''Mixed Nuts'' is a 1994 American Christmas black comedy film directed by Nora Ephron, based on the 1982 French comedy film '' Le Père Noël est une ordure (Santa Claus is a Stinker)''. Co-written by Ephron and her sister Delia, the film fea ...

''.

Cast

Anémone Anne Bourguignon (; 9 August 1950 – 30 April 2019), known professionally as Anémone (), was a French actress, filmmaker and political activist. She took her stage name in 1968 from the title of her film debut in Philippe Garrel's ''Anémone ...

as Thérèse *

Thierry Lhermitte Thierry Lhermitte (; born 24 November 1952) is a French actor, director, writer and producer, best known for his comedic roles. He was a founder of the comedy troupe ''Le Splendid'' in the 1970s, along with, among others, Christian Clavier, Géra ...

as Pierre Mortez *

Marie-Anne Chazel Marie-Anne France Jacqueline Chazel (born 19 September 1951) is a French actress, screenwriter and director, who has been active in both film and television since 1974. Biography Chazel was born to actress Louba Guertchikoff (birth name Lou ...

as Josette *

Gérard Jugnot Gérard Jugnot (; born 4 May 1951) is a French actor, film director, screenwriter and film producer. Jugnot was one of the founders of the comedy ''troupe'' Le Splendid in the 1970s, along with, among others, his high-school friends Christian C ...

as Félix *

Christian Clavier Christian Jean-Marie Clavier (; born 6 May 1952) is a French actor, screenwriter, film producer and director. A co-founder of Le Splendid in the 1970s, a Parisian café-théâtre company which soon garnered success, he became widely popular aft ...

as Katia *

Josiane Balasko Josiane Balasko (born Josiane Balašković; 15 April 1950) is a French actress, writer, and director. She has been nominated seven times for César Awards, and won twice. Career One of Balasko's most recognized roles among English speakers is ...

as Madame Musquin *

Bruno Moynot Bruno Moynot (born 20 December 1950, in Bois-Colombes, Hauts-de-Seine, France) is a French actor and theatre director. Part of the French comedy group Le Splendid, he is also known for his roles in Patrice Leconte Patrice Leconte (; born 12 ...

as Preskovitch *

Jacques François Henri Jacques Daniel Paul François (; 16 May 1920 – 25 November 2003), known as Jacques François was a French actor. During a sixty-year career (1942–2002) he appeared in more than 120 films and over 30 stage productions. Biography ...

as The Pharmacist *

Martin Lamotte Martin Lamotte (; born 2 June 1947) is a French actor, comedian and director. He participated in several films alongside Le Splendid. He is most known for his role on the TV Series "SoeurThérèse.com" and "Nos chers voisins". Filmography ...

as Monsieur Leblé *

Michel Blanc Michel Blanc (16 April 1952 – 3 October 2024) was a French actor, writer and director. He is noted for his roles of losers and hypochondriacs. He is frequently associated with Le Splendid, which he co-founded, along with Thierry Lhermitte, ...

(voice only) as an obscene crank caller

References

External links

*
Le Splendid
official site
France 2
(formerly Films A2) *
''Santa Claus is a Stinker'' on Wikiquote
{{Authority control 1982 films 1980s French-language films French Christmas films French Christmas comedy films French films based on plays Transgender-related films Films directed by Jean-Marie Poiré Films scored by Vladimir Cosma 1980s French films