In 1911, Arnolphe Combalette left his corner of Provence to seek his fortune in the Americas. Fifty years later, a letter from him arrived in the village: "No, I'm not dead yet, but it won't be long now. You should send me a Combalette here to settle a big money issue." The family then held a council and delegated their youngest son, Dieudonné, a cook by trade. Without incident, Dieudonné arrived in New York, but very quickly found himself penniless.
To recreate the sheer extent of the Texas territory in a studio is a feat in itself and it speaks volumes about the paucity of the budget. Only three or four actors are Americans ,including Jess Hahn who was never cast in a movie shot on the soil of his native land ;all the cowboys and the Indians are played by French, the squaw fiancee wearing a ridiculous wig which can't fool anyone .
That said , the first half of the movie is rather funny ,thanks to Henri Tisot ,ideally cast as the big ninny sent to America ; the family naively thinks that , to thank La Fayette ,French is spoken in the USA . L'"Oncle D'Amérique" (the rich uncle who made his fortune in oil has been a French myth for years )sends the clueless hero to America ,where his tribulations to join the wealthy parent are pleasant to watch ; after the discovery of the uncle's "fortune" ,though,the slump begins ; the last half is a spateful of clichés, with gags recalling the silent age ,and the screenplay is as dumb as can be .
The director made French series in the sixties,and it shows.
