The main reason I didn’t like the movie (not at all, but 6 out of 10) is because of the characters. From the very beginning, we are presented with two main characters, on the confrontation of which the plot is built. One unclean rich man, performed by the magnificent Louis de Funes, another young guy who wants to marry his daughter. The film indicates to the viewer that it is necessary to empathize with the young - he does everything for the sake of a good goal, for the sake of love, and the bad richer puts sticks in his wheels. But looking at how the hero achieves his goals, you feel disgust for him, not sympathy. He blackmails the rich man by all means, getting his way, poisons him, deceives his daughter and pushes her to cheat, hiding behind his love as a shield. This character could have been more positive if he had started right away with the truth — I want to marry your daughter, because we love each other — but no, he starts his time on screen by beating out money and threatening to go to the competition along with the company’s secrets. This character is just disgusting, you don’t want him to succeed, and when he gets his way in the end, it brings disappointment.
The actions of this young man could be understood if his antagonist rich was a thoroughly corrupt villain, using the slave labor of little blacks in his factories and bribing the government without officials noticing it. But again, no. Funes' hero is a funny little old man. Yeah, he was dirty somewhere, evading taxes, but he's very nice. And in this situation, he's just sorry. It is much easier to understand him and empathize with him - why should he give his daughter to the first person he meets, why should he double the salary of some impudent person (he has already doubled in two years, which is not enough against the background of the current crises). However, the film portrays him as a ludicrous villain, and this is disappointing, because as a character, he is prettier than his opponent.
The film can be interesting as a classic of French cinema, can interest fans of old comedies or fans of Funes. But it can no longer be perceived in isolation from many modern films, against which it seems outdated and unfunny.
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