I am not a great comedies fan, especially French ones, but the French comedy tradition in the fifties and sixties , with the likes of Bourvil, Fernandel, Louis De Funès, was purely as excellent, terrific as the American style and the Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, Laurel and Hardy period...So this very one is a great great job, given by a young future great French director: Henri Verneuil, whose filmography will certainly not be known for its comedies: LE CLAN DES SICILIENS, PEUR SUR LA VILLE, LE CASSE, MELODIE EN SOUS SOL.... So early in his career - Verneuil did not belong to the French Nouvelle Vague nor the same period film makers such as Philippe de Broca, Pierre Granier Deferre, George Lautner, Jacques Deray - So early, Verneuil showed his talent, his skills, despite the fact that he was a commercial director, not a true artist - unlike Jean-Pierre Melville, for instance. This story is stunning, thanks to Fernandel and his incredible performance. An outstanding French comedy gem.