''The Master Valet'' (French: ''Le valet maître'') is a 1941 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
Paul Mesnier and starring
Elvire Popesco,
Henri Garat and
Marguerite Deval.
[Siclier p.178] It was based on the 1938 play of the same title by
Paul Armont and
Léopold Marchand. 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 ...
Roland Quignon.
Synopsis
Gustave Lorillon, a
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 ...
, is a superb player at
contract bridge
Contract bridge, or simply bridge, is a trick-taking game, trick-taking card game using a standard 52-card deck. In its basic format, it is played by four players in two Team game, competing partnerships, with partners sitting opposite each othe ...
, provoking the jealousy of his master, who dismisses him. However Gustave continues to play as part of a club who are unaware of his lowly background. When they discover he is a servant, they snobbishly reject him, although they come to realise they desperately need his talents. In the process of winning the tournament he also gets together with Antonia, an attractive foreigner also coveted by his ex-employer.
Cast
*
Elvire Popesco as Antonia - une effervescente étrangère
*
Henri Garat as Gustave Lorillon - le valet de Ravier, imbattable champion de bridge
*
Marguerite Deval as Ninon Ravier
*
René Génin
René Génin (25 January 1890 – 24 October 1967) was a French stage and film actor. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1931 and 1965.
Selected filmography
* ''Vertigo'' (1935)
* '' The Mutiny of the Elsinore'' (1936)
* '' The Bri ...
as Foucard
*
Georges Mauloy as Le comte des Bossons
*
Alexandre Mihalesco as Émile
*
Marianne Brack as Annie
*
Andrée Champeaux as Marie
*
Paul Demange as Le vendeur de tableaux
*
Nina Myral as Agathe
*
Georges Bever
Georges Bever (1884–1973) was a French film and television actor.Goble p.38
Selected filmography
* '' The Crystal Submarine '' (1927)
* '' Chérie'' (1930)
* ''The Man in Evening Clothes'' (1931)
* '' I'll Be Alone After Midnight'' (1931)
* '' ...
as Justin
*
Georges Saillard
Georges Augustin Eugène Saillard (; 5 July 1877 – 11 September 1967) was a French film actor. He starred in some 52 films between French films of the 1910s, 1909 and French films of 1950, 1950.
Saillard was married to actress . He died on 11 ...
as Le président du jockey-club
*
Georges Grey as Jean-Louis Crampel
*
Roger Karl as Ravier 'de l'Orne' - un champion de bridge
*
Léonce Corne as Un membre du club des 'Patineurs'
*
Lucien Desagneaux as Un membre du club des 'Patineurs'
*
Henri Richard
Joseph Henri Richard (February 29, 1936 – March 6, 2020) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played centre with the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1955 to 1975. He was nicknamed "Pocket Rocket" afte ...
as Le marquis de Lazergues
*
Philippe Richard as Castaneix
*
Georges Sellier as Un membre du club des 'Patineurs'
*
Roger Vincent as Un membre du club des 'Patineurs'
*
Yvonne Yma as La cuisinière au bal
References
Bibliography
* Rège, Philippe. ''Encyclopedia of French Film Directors, Volume 1''. Scarecrow Press, 2009.
* Siclier, Jacques. ''La France de Pétain et son cinéma''. H. Veyrier, 1981.
External links
*
1941 films
French comedy films
1941 comedy films
1940s French-language films
Films directed by Paul Mesnier
French black-and-white films
1940s French films
French films based on plays
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