I'll try Kingme. Later.
By a funny coincidence, I watched a French comedy yesterday starring Fernandel :
Le Rosier de Madame Husson (1931, Bernard-Deschamps). This lovely comedy is based upon a short story by Maupassant. In a small village in Normandy in the late XIXth century, Madame Husson (a young Françoise Rosay) organises a
rosière competition. A
rosière is young girl recognised for her virtue during a ceremony where she receives a crown of roses. (I think they have similar customs in Ireland) Alas, not a single girl in town qualifies: they are all the subject of gossips. Suddenly, they have an idea: why not select a young man instead of a girl? They select Isidore (Fernandel), the grocer's son. He is very shy, verging on the simple-minded. During the huge ceremony, all dressed in white, he receives some money and a crown of roses. He becomes a
rosier. Suddenly, all women seem interested in him. As soon as the ceremony is over, he runs to take the bus. In the next town, he enters a seedy bar where he will lose very quickly the 'virtue' he had kept so far. For such an early talkie, the camera movements are really impressive. Fernandel is hilarious as the shy young man. The songs are well incorporated into the story. A really charming comedy.