A kindly, respectable yet adulterous bookshop owner sees a homeless man jump from a bridge and rushes to his aid, jumping into the river fully clothed to save him (though many other younger and less plump people are on the scene before he is) and subsequently takes the tramp in, giving him clothing, food and a bed for the night. This kicks off an unusual love square between the tramp, the bookshop owner, his wife and their maid, with the ruse and uncouth hobo causing disruption in the lives of those around him. Michel Simon is perfect as Boudu, but the plot is derailed by lottery-pivoted hokum and a scene where Boudu insults, frightens and possibly rapes the bookshop owner’s wife is glossed over, though she does seem to enjoy it.Choose life 5/10
I did not like this movie much. The idea of having this hobo living with "civilized" people who turn out to be not se civilized is potentially interesting and the ungratefulness of the dude is potentially funny, but he is just so annoyoing and stupid that I just ended up hating him.
ReplyDeleteI agree, he was a very hate-able character, but I thought he was at least acted well.
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