This is one of Italian comic Toto''s more notable outings since it pairs him with French star Fernandel and is directed by a well-known film-maker. Still, it's not much better than his typical vehicle - but the plot is interesting, though it eventually becomes repetitive: the two men live in a small town through which passes the borderline that separates Italy from France; Fernandel is a customs officer, while Toto' is a smuggler (who happens to be married to the former's first wife!). The narrative begins with Fernandel catching Toto' on the Italian side of the town but he still takes him over to the French side to be arrested; however, it transpires that Fernandel was born in the town kitchen (which is on the Italian side) of an Italian mother and unknown father¡Kwhich legally makes him an Italian and, consequently, his life is turned upside down - he's forced to become an Italian citizen (thus making his presence on the French side undesirable), his second marriage is declared null and is therefore a bigamist, he's branded a deserter by the Italians because he fought on the French side (and was decorated for it!), etc. The complications, all based on what is decreed by law (hence the title), are many and amusing...but, personally, I found Toto''s broad gestures and general mischief more gratifying than Fernandel's understated performance and his rather sentimental antics (though that may be because I've watched far more of the former's films, in fact some 50 titles over the course of the last 2 years!).
