''Sweet Madness'' (French: ''Folie douce'') is a 1951 French

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Jean-Paul Paulin Jean-Paul Paulin (1902–1976) was a French film director, producer and screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriti ...

and starring Lisette Jambel,

Marthe Mercadier Marthe Mercadier (23 October 1928 – 15 September 2021) was a French actress. Filmography Awards * In 1974, she was named Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. * In 1989, she won the ''Molière Award'' of the Best Comic Show. * In 2007, she was n ...

and

André Gabriello André Gabriello (1896–1975) was a French film actor. A character actor known for his supporting roles, notable appearances included Jean Renoir's '' Partie de campagne'' (1936) and Maurice Tourneur's '' Cecile Is Dead'' (1944).Waldman p.16 ...

.Rège p.799 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 ...

Eugène Delfau.

Synopsis

The president of a company goes mildly insane and is restrained by his associates in a

lunatic asylum The lunatic asylum, insane asylum or mental asylum was an institution where people with mental illness were confined. It was an early precursor of the modern psychiatric hospital. Modern psychiatric hospitals evolved from and eventually replace ...

. However he escapes and returns to the head of the company showing great extravagances towards the employees that infuriate his fellow directors.

Cast

* Lisette Jambel as Yolande *

as Juliette *

as the captain Edgar Morgan *

Frédéric Duvallès Frédéric Duvallès (1884–1971) was a French film actor.Hayward p.383 He was often simply credited as Duvallès. Selected filmography * '' The Wonderful Day'' (1932) * '' Companion Wanted'' (1932) * ''The Heir of the Bal Tabarin'' (1933) * ''C ...

as Mr Lancer-Léger * Pierre-Louis as Arthur *

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 fi ...

* Anne Beressy * Christine Carrère *

Maxime Fabert Maxime Fabert, real name Robert Émile Jaillon, (7 November 1898 – 1 October 1978) was a French stage and film actor. Maxime Fabert managed the Theater of the Comédie-Wagram from 1946 to 1962. Filmography * 1932 : '' The Nude Woman'' by J ...

Colette Régis Colette Régis (1893–1978) was a French film actress.Hayward p.280 Selected filmography * ''Rasputin'' (1938) - Une religieuse (uncredited) * '' Three Waltzes'' (1938) - Sarah Bernhardt * (1938) - Victoire Pecqueux * '' Three from St Cyr'' ...

Michel Nastorg Michel Nastorg (1914–1984) was a French actor. During World War II he was called into the French army as Soldier Second Class. With the Seventh Army he retreated from Belgium before a fierce German onslaught, and found himself at Dunkirk in Ju ...

Robert Lussac The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...

* Suzanne Gabriello *

Robert Le Fort The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...

René Hell René Hell (1891–1965) was a French actor. Selected filmography * '' Special Mission'' (1946) * ''Mirror A mirror, also known as a looking glass, is an object that Reflection (physics), reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mir ...

* France Gabriel *

José Casa José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , ...

References

Bibliography

* Dicale, Bertrand. ''Louis de Funès, grimaces et gloire''. Grasset, 2009. * Rège, Philippe. ''Encyclopedia of French Film Directors, Volume 1''. Scarecrow Press, 2009.

External links

*
Folie douce (1951)
at the ''Films de France'' 1951 films French comedy films 1950s French-language films French black-and-white films 1951 comedy films 1950s French films Films directed by Jean-Paul Paulin Films based on French novels Films scored by Loulou Gasté {{1950s-France-comedy-film-stub