Laughing for 57 Years! Discover French Cinema’s Most Hilarious, Iconic Scene

“And now, I’m going to tell him everything!”

Sporting a handsome set of mutton chops and a costume from the last century, Hubert de Tartas (Louis de Funès) has reached his breaking point. Despite the frantic screams of Claude Gensac, he rushes down the stairs of his estate focused on one thing: ending the farce that has gone on far too long.

Meltdown

In other words, he plans to reveal the whole truth to Paul Fournier. This man is his wife’s grandfather, but is only 25 years old, as he was just found frozen in the North Pole 65 years after his expedition began. This bizarre situation has forced Hubert – in order not to shock the young man – to live and dress as if it were still the early 1900s in his own home, without even the right to see his wife.

It is after showing remarkable self-control throughout the movie that the protagonist of “Hibernatus” finally loses it, allowing Louis de Funès to deliver one of the most hilarious sequences of his career.

Crash Course in History

Whether you first saw it in your childhood or more recently, it’s nearly impossible that this roller coaster of laughter left you unmoved. The scene is both hysterically funny and mesmerizing, and sometimes borders on a physical feat (to borrow a phrase from Alexandre Astier about “Oscar”) given the extraordinary energy and commitment shown by Louis de Funès.

For several minutes, he unleashes an excited, incoherent, and utterly mad monologue to a bewildered Paul Fournier. Included in this crazy speech are revelations about the North Pole and freezing, a very brief summary of the 20th century history, and an overview of recent wars and inventions (like electric guitars, cigarette-shaped airplanes, and the moon landing with a bug).

In short, Louis de Funès’ performance is astounding. Knowing his legendary precision and meticulous timing, it’s easy to imagine that this scene is the result of hard work, coupled of course with a unique talent in the history of cinema.

What about you? What is your favorite scene with Louis de Funès?

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(Re)discover the trailer of “Hibernatus”…