Les casse-pieds (1948) Online

I saw this French (subtitled) film at a Film Festival at the Thalia Theater in New York back in the late 50s or early 60s. To my knowledge,it has never been available since. I thought it was hilarious, but it might not work today. It was something like an expanded Pete Smith short with a number of episodes dealing with various "pests". I have tried for many years to find a source for this film, but I doubt that it exists anywhere now other than in some obscure film vault in France. I would certainly like to see it again to assure myself that I wasn't wrong in giving it such a high rating.

I have had this on VHS tape for several years. It is NOT available on DVD at present ( 2007) . The picture and sound quality are abysmal. In spite of this, the idea behind the work and many of the examples given are brilliant. I am very impressed by Noël-Noël ! If only the France of today could produce comedians of this quality who play with the language yet speak with elegance. Most of today's lot are on a par with the English "chavs". Anyway, the subject of this film is "pains in the neck" to use a polite expression and the film is presented in a didactical form with Noël-Noël as the teacher using a virtual blackboard. He gives examples of the different pains in the neck that exist, for example, the woman who is trying to drive whilst chattering at the same time. One of the funniest is the person whom you don't want to meet in the street. You see them coming, so you quickly cross over to the other pavement. But they have seen you and think that you haven't seen them so they too cross over to the other side of the street so that you won't miss them !! I creased up laughing when I saw this !! OUr presenter also indicates that pains in the neck existed in Roman times and proceeds to show the streets of ancient Rome with Romans speaking frenchified Latin, trying to avoid each other etc etc. The technique is brilliant and I have never ever seen another film deal with this subject so intelligently. Please don't confuse the film with another more recent one called "Le Bal des Casse-Pieds" which was at the time purported to be a remake but which is best off being binned from the first minute. I can't recommend too highly the intelligence and the wit of Noël-Nöël and anybody feeling depressed or suicidal should watch this film to perk themselves up. Making a modern-day version ( pains in the neck are eternal and will always exist in every civilization ) is a desirable enterprise but how are we going to find someone to fill Noël-Noël's shoes ?????

It was the first movie I saw after the war and I have never laughed so much. It is a real fine comedy, and you'll find the types of annoying characters described everywhere. Noel-Noel is a very fine actor, and he plays with tact and psychology, a very expressive figure. Jean Tissier is also a nice actor playing a kind of people trying to persuade the others without being sure of himself at the same time. It is a genre wherein the french movies are excellent : it describes scenes of common life, with humor and accuracy. Everybody has encountered such situations.

I would like to be able to have a copy of that movie on CD or tape or video to see it again, but how would that be possible ?