CINEMA DE LA PLAGE – Edouard Molinaro’s Hibernatus

Hibernatus melts the ice tonight at the Cinéma de la Plage. Edouard Molinaro’s movie will warm up la Croisette thanks to the enduring genius of Louis de Funès. Bernard Alane, who played Paul Fournier in the film, remembers the shoot.

Film still © RR

How did you come to act in Hibernatus ?
A bit by chance really. The cast had already been chosen some time before, but my agent put me forward anyway. At the time I had just graduated from the Conservatoire with my prize under my arm and I was doing some tests for the movie  Mon Oncle Benjamin (My Uncle Benjamin – 1969) with Jacques Brel. In the end I was chosen to play Paul Fournier, particularly because of my “spiritual nose”!

The shoot was fairly intensive, and working with Louis de Funès must have been an education for you at the time. What did you learn from it?
Shooting lasted a total of fourteen weeks. And the atmosphere between Edouard Molinaro and Louis de Funès was, to say the least… tense: the incompatibility of their natures was flagrant. But I managed to come through it unscathed! Louis de Funès was extraordinary. He had such belief in his role that he was able to be incredibly daring, with complete sincerity. It was wonderful to watch an actor go all the way like that.

Which was the most difficult scene to shoot?
Looking back, I remember that I was fairly confident on the set. Hibernatus was filmed theater, and as that was my training, I felt pretty comfortable. I really liked the scene where Paul Fournier terrorizes de Tartas (Louis de Funès). The crew had sat him on a very low seat and I, being nearly six feet tall, was able to make him look very small indeed. The scene was very funny and the contrast was quite arresting!

Forty-five years on, what is it that makes Hibernatus such a rich film?
It was Louis that carried this comedy. It was also very much a costume drama of its time. Most of the film was shot in the studio at Boulogne. We had to recreate  this “Belle Epoque” look, the costumes were all specially made and the opulence of the decors was very impressive. Of course the movie is a popular comedy, but with a lot of style and elegance, which is what makes it special.

HIBERNATUS by Edouard Molinaro (1969, 1h40)
2K restored print presented by Gaumont. Image by Eclair, sound resteration by Diapason in association with Eclair.

Interview by Hannah Benayoun
 

SCREENING

Friday 22 May / Macé Beach / 21h30
>> Access the interactive agenda