Christian Clavier: "Dictators always hate humor"

Christian Clavier

(Paris, 1952) looks like an actor.

In fact, he makes movies.

However, as soon as his name sounds in front of a Frenchman, something happens that he notices the error.

Or from the unambitious of the phrase.

The most brilliant and scandalous heir to

is, for better, worse or fair, an institution, an emblem,

.

It is so.

Few can boast of having brought

to life .

He does.

Comedian and myth, therefore.

In the interviews, yes, there are no doubts.

Serious and sparing, he boasts a deep voice.

Nothing to do with the comic.

Since the 70s, the actor began to take the first steps in the burlesque genre to end up becoming one of the most recognized French performers thanks to films such as

or the aforementioned

.

In the saga of

Directed by director Philipp de Chauveron, Clavier continues with his portrayal of Claude Verneuil, a Gaullist Catholic notary from a bourgeois family who lives in Chinon, on the Loire castle route, and who has come to accept the relationship between his four daughters with descendants of immigrants in France: an Algerian Muslim lawyer, an unemployed Jewish businessman, a Chinese banker and an actor from the Ivory Coast.

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He returns to his role as a

in-law with the pressure of having to invite the parents of each of his sons-in-law to his house.

Multiculturalism in

, but what have you done to us?

It is the central axis of the food, he assures, without racist overtones.

And pay attention: at the French box office it has raised 2.5 million euros.

What is comedy for you? Comedy for me is elegance in relation to the fullness of life. The first weekend that the film was released in France, it was placed in the top 10 worldwide.

Where do you think your success lies? The secret of success... Perhaps that the film deals with a universal theme, although the outward appearance is a comedy. How has it been shooting this third installment of the saga?

Why insist so much? There is not much difference with the previous ones.

We really are like a family, like a theater group, and we have a lot of fun.

In this film there are a lot of new roles that are not expected.

Everyone has really wanted to act in this movie, so it was extremely easy.

Doesn't it seem to you that your character is always very much at the limit of his own character?

Aren't you afraid of falling into the stereotype? It's very difficult to write comedy with perfect and balanced characters, but when you act you don't have to judge them.

Always use empathy.

It doesn't matter how evil the character is. After so many years with the same character (the first installment dates back to 2014), what do you remember the most and best? The amount of laughter.

I have especially had fun with the German actor because he is completely a stereotype.

He is formidable, worthy of the twists and turns of Mollière himself.He has stated that he prefers comic roles.

That he has more fun.

But does he believe that comedy is a good instrument for social or political criticism?

How do you think the most radical conservatives take these kinds of stories?

I speak of the extreme right that is very combative with multiculturalism. (Silence).

I don't care too much about the lives of politicians, to be honest.

We have radicals at both ends.

They are so different that between the two they strike a balance. Should or should there not be a limit to humor in 2022? This is a totally American point of view that I do not share.

The only limit is that of elegance. We asked the director of the film earlier if he thought there should be limits on humor and he told us that he was very careful;

that in addition to making people laugh, you have to try not to hurt the viewer... A good comedy doesn't hurt people but rather makes them laugh.

It's automatic.

All the people who talk about the limits of laughter are people who want to impose censorship.

Remember one thing: dictators hate humour. What are your plans now in Madrid? Right now I'm going to a Galician restaurant.

It is very hot in Madrid.

After this trip I return to the sea.

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