Baratin

Roger Nicolas was a stand -up comic whose death (the day after Presley's) goes unnoticed ,even in France .Director Jean Stelli's claim to fame was his tear-jerker "LE VOILE BLEU" which made the French shed floods of tears in the occupation days .

"Baratin" (=sales talk) is a harmless little comedy ,unambitious but funny (in places).

Roger is a street peddler whose spiel used to convince the housewives but his work has grown harder over the years ;besides the gendarmes (22 is a number they say when the police come)are watching over the street.His pal , a failed painter and a womanizer says he found a soil where oil gushes forth in the south of France but he is pennyless. Opportunity knocks: the laundrywomen ,all in love with the painter, have just won the jackpot on the national lottery;and Roger comes first when it comes to giving someone the sales pitch .

There are good gags:

• Roger ,convincing the four girls .

-The same , refusing to listen to his conscience by plugging his ears ,before gambling all the money and losing everything. -The depiction of the would be oil well and he future buildings . -His use of the business vocabulary (holding,etc) -The final disappointment which is actually a godsend.

This is based on an operetta,but the ditties are kept to an economical level,fortunatey.

If you do not ask for too much.....