Messieurs les ronds de cuir

"Ronds De Cuir" is French slang for " pen-pushers" or "pencil pushers" .This expression has become old -fashioned now;but the state employees are still considered "privilege people " because it means job security.

The director felt compelled to warn his 1937 audience that Georges Courteline (who wrote the book) was not against the state employees (he was one of 'em) as he was not against the army (he was a soldier ).

The pen pushers are looked upon as parasites ,people who make a lot of money by doing nothing ,or something which has nothing to do with the affairs of state;they cheat on their wives and husbands (oddly ,the pretty girl -Josette Day ,La Belle in Cocteau's movie- chooses a lover who is much less handsome than her young husband ),dream of promotions, spend the whole movie to find back a file which was lots among tons and tons of papers .And one of these men is writing a variety show for "les Folies Moutonnières " (litterally :the sheepish follies ;a spoof on "Les Folies Bergères " (shepherdesses follies) .

In spite of the very high rating ,I do not think it's a very good movie of the time(very stagy performances and directing) ,one of the best era (if not the best) of the whole French cinema . It is ,like "Les Gaietés De L'Escadron" (another Courteline 's novel about military service),an old -fashioned story .The second part is more enjoyable,because there is Arletty and when she appears ,she makes it all worthwhile