The French, They Are a Funny Race

The French, They Are a Funny Race

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	1955 (1955)
Founder	Preston Sturges
Products	Comedy film
Parent	Gaumont

The French, They Are a Funny Race (known in the UK as The Diary of Major Thompson) is a 1955 French comedy film both written and directed by Preston Sturges. It is an adaptation of Pierre Daninos' 1954 novel Les Carnets du Major Thompson. The movie features performances by Martine Carol and Jack Buchanan.

This picture represents the last directorial effort by Sturges before his passing in 1959, as well as Buchanan’s final film role before his death in 1957.

Plot

Major Thompson, a retired British officer, settles into life in Paris and weds the delightful Martine. The narrative’s primary conflict centers on the cultural upbringing of their child—whether it will lean toward English or French traditions.

Cast

• Jack Buchanan portraying Maj. Thompson
• Martine Carol as Martine
• Noël-Noël cast as M. Taupin
• Totti Truman Taylor in the role of Miss Fyfyth, the nurse
• Catherine Boyl appearing as Ursula
• André Luguet playing M. Fusillard, the editor
• Geneviève Brunet as Secretary
• Paulette Dubost as M. Taupin

Production

The film is based on Pierre Daninos’ well-known Le Figaro column that humorously depicts the observations of the fictional English Major Marmaduke Thompson on French customs. These writings were later compiled into the bestselling volume The Notebooks of Major Thompson.

After encountering setbacks in Hollywood, Preston Sturges sought to rejuvenate his career by utilizing his proficiency in French to both write and direct this project in France. His initial screenplay was titled Forty Million Frenchmen, but following the commercial success of Daninos’ novel, he adjusted the script to more faithfully reflect the source material. A distinctive aspect of production was filming concurrently in both French and English, employing two separate crews.

With a budget of $540,000, the film was positioned for the European market during the mid-1950s and distributed by Gaumont.

Release and reception

The movie debuted in France on 9 December 1955. Sturges later re-edited it for American viewers, leading to its U.S. premiere on 20 May 1957 in New York City, marking his final film release stateside.

It achieved notable popularity in France, ranking ninth among films released there in 1956; however, it did not replicate this success commercially within the United States.