On the occasion of its reopening, the Cinémathèque de Paris, closed for several months because of the coronavirus crisis, is devoting a large exhibition in tribute to a cult personality in French cinema and not least: Louis de Funès. The opportunity, thus, to (re) dive into the burlesque and offbeat universe of this actor who made many laugh.

These films were a hit on the small screen during confinement. It is therefore to a monument of French popular cinema that the cinematheque has decided to pay homage in an exhibition open this Wednesday. We rediscover the career of a colorful Louis de Funès, with the bonus of a large retrospective of these films. Letters, costumes, drawings and cult objects, everything is there, to plunge again into the universe of an actor who made the French laugh for more than 30 years. An exhibition that you can visit until May 31.

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An immersion in the actor's career

From the  Gendarme of Saint-Tropez to the Grande vadrouille , this exhibition at the Cinémathèque de Paris is a wide breaststroke for you to (re) discover the abundant cinematography of this memorable actor of French cinema. The opportunity, thus for you to (re) listen to all the extracts from his films as well as to remember his flagship replicas. And the immersion is total: many of the cult objects used in a large number of his films complete this retrospective. His beard in Rabbi Jacob , the baton of the conductor in La grande vadrouille or even the car he destroys in the opening scene of the Corniaud .

And his talent remains imperishable for a good number of fans. For Alain Kruger, the exhibition's curator, this effervescence around the actor is not surprising: "I am not surprised. There is no erosion in his talent. This is what is fascinating. He is both a man totally of his time, that is to say a man from the de Gaulle years and the Pompidou years. And he is almost a cartoon character. He is almost seen Uncle Scrooge in Tex Avery ". And indeed, Louis de Funès is a clown. Mimics, grimaces and puns punctuate his acting.

A wacky star

But behind the wacky star hides the serious, meticulous and hardworking man. And this is what the exhibition is trying to make us discover: "We see a man who has an eye for detail. He is one of the very few actors who cut his texts to be able to play, with his body, his face , so elastic. Besides, he didn't like the word 'grimace' at all. He could make different expressions every 30 seconds ", explains the commissioner Alain Kruger.

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And for many internet users, this exhibition is timely to pay tribute to this talented actor. "Those who take offense at a De Funès exhibition ignore a moving body, the invention in cinema of average French, with its cowardice without despising it. A madness evoking the slapstick. Great popular films. There are moviegoers They're not moviegoers. ", reacts on Twitter, a user. 

Those who take offense at a De Funès exhibition ignore a body in movement, the invention in cinema of average French, with its cowardice, without despising it. A madness evoking the slapstick. Great popular movies. There are rancid film buffs. They are not moviegoers.

- Grégory Marouzé (@GregoryMarouze) July 5, 2019

Likewise, Corinne Geourjon, another internet user of the social network, writes: "Popular and talented actor yet scorned during his lifetime by a certain intelligentsia. This has hardly changed." Popular "cinema is only rarely rewarded".

The Cinemathèque française paying tribute to #LouisDeFunes ...
A popular and talented actor yet scorned in his lifetime by a certain intelligentsia. It has hardly changed; "popular" cinema is rarely rewarded.

- Corinne Geourjon (@CoGeourjon) July 11, 2020

The exhibition is open this Wednesday and until May 31 next at the Cinémathèque de Paris.