CLOCHEMERLE PDF, EPUB, EBOOK

Gabriel Chevallier | 336 pages | 26 Oct 2004 | Vintage Publishing | 9780099453888 | English | London, United Kingdom Clochemerle (TV Series ) - IMDb

So fascinating! Stories set in communities populated by a diverse bunch of characters can be so entertaining. When social messages get mixed in it often gets even better. I can remember the series very well indeed. It seemed so odd that he could have penned these two completely different books…. I have Fear on a wishlist probably due to Guy. It sounds incredibly entertaining. Clochemerle Babylon is also a tremendous title for a sequel too. They do sound utterly different. It might depend on your mood as to which one to read. This sounds funny! I loved the description of the Justine Putet character- masterful short character sketches are a huge weakness of mine, and not too many authors are good at them. Duff Cooper, in his biography of Talleyrand, probably does some of my favorites. I may have to look this up. Thanks for the rec! I would enjoy the novel more than the film, I suspect, because even though I have great admiration for the BBC, a book is a book. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Email Address:. From arthouse to trash: film reviews and discussions about new releases and classic cinema. Intermittencies of the Mind. Skip to content. Chevallier delights in giving us the details of all these characters; and with the description of Justine Putet, Chevallier really excels himself: Enter Justine Putet, of whom it is now time to speak. Share this: Twitter Facebook. Like this: Like Loading July 22, at This sounds like the type of classic novel that I love. July 23, at Weird, uh? Brian Joseph. I have never read Chevallier. I would like to. Guy Savage. Sort order. Start your review of Clochemerle. Shelves: religion-mythology-rationalism , beach-fun-fiction , lit-french , read-in-australia , multiple-reads. I first read this book about 40 years ago when I lived in Australia for three years. The book is a very biting satire on all aspects of French provincial life in the early decades of the 20th century. The Church and its officials are depicted particularly harshly. However, in the latter part of the book, Chevallier brings the Army into the story and the humor but not the satire abates somewhat. This isn't the easiest book to get hold of at a decent price at least in the U. I was surprised to find this evening view spoiler [that was written many evenings ago hide spoiler ] that Chevallier wrote a book called Fear about a young man's experiences in WW I, a book rated very highly and close to a classic. That book must be so far from this one in its tone that their being by the same author seems almost impossible! C'est la vie! View 1 comment. I was really surprised this morning to come across this book on GRs. I read this book years ago and it's a real gem portraying French village life Clochmerle-en-Beaujolais in this case. It's satirical, descriptive, evokes wonderful thoughts but it's the mayor who brings particular interest to this village. Now let us I was really surprised this morning to come across this book on GRs. Now let us see if you are clever Tafardel. This is Rabelaisian satire at its best. I just loved it! View all 10 comments. Aug 09, Joselito Honestly and Brilliantly rated it it was amazing. I had actually hoped this would go on for several chapters more. One of the rare works of fiction one stumbles upon occasionally which, once its last page is read, the reader knows he will miss in the future. Or would fantasize re-reading despite his mountain-like TBR pile. The setting is a small, wine-producing French provincial town called Clochemerle, sometime in the previous century I'm not sure if there is really a town by this name in France. Clever author, he carefully mentions the exact I had actually hoped this would go on for several chapters more. Clever author, he carefully mentions the exact dates when the events in this novel happen, giving a historical feel to them. The catalyst for the hilarious goings-on was the decision to build a toilet, a public urinal for men, near the town's parish church. The novel satirizes war the first world war still fresh in everyone's consciousness , soldiery, religion, priesthood, politics, social conventions, sexual mores, and the antics of the rich on top of the droll and eccentric characters and the seemingly nonstop farcical buffoonery the author manages to conceive with apparent effortlessness. The strongest part of this novel, in my opinion, however, is in its colorful characterizations. There is humor here even in the mere ACT alone of creating a character. After this review, my copy of this book will be passed on to another reader and could then be lost forever, what with his habit of not reading yet? Let me then preserve here, for my future delectation, the Jorge Amado-like creation of the beautiful Judith Tourmignon-- "Near the entrance of the Beaujolais Stores, Judith Toumignon could be seen and admired, a veritable daughter of fire, with her flamboyant shock of hair, flaming tresses that might have been stolen from the sun. The common herd, impervious to fine distinctions, spoke of her merely as 'red haired', or spitefully as 'ginger. Red hair in women may be lustreless or brick-coloured, a dull unattractive red; sour perspiration is its usual accompaniment. But Judith Toumignon's hair was not like that; on the contrary, it was of reddish gold, the tint of mirabelle plums ripened in the sun. This beautiful woman was, in fact, fair-haired, her armpits fair and honey-sweet; she was a triumph of blonde beauty, a dazzling apotheosis of the warm tints which constitute the Venetian type. The heavy, glowing turban which adorned her head, only to vanish at the nape of her neck in rapturous sweetness, compelled the gaze of one and all, which lingered over her from head to foot in fascination and delight, finding at all points occasion for extra-ordinary gratification. The men relished her charm in secret, but could not always hide what they felt from their wives, whose misgivings, profound enough as to affect them physically, endowed them with some sort of second sight revealing clearly who the insolent usurper was. This creation of her sovereign fancy she places where she will; it may be a shepherdess, it may be a circus-girl. By these challenges to probability she gives a new and furious impetus to social displacements, and paves the way for new combinations, social graftings, and bargainings between sensual appetite and the desire for gain. Judith Toumignon was an incarnation of one of these masterpieces of nature, the complete success of which is rarely seen. A perverse and prankish destiny had placed her in the centre of the town, where she was engaged in receiving customers at a shop. But a picture of her thus occupied would be incomplete, for her principal role, unseen but profoundly human, was that of inciting to the raptures of love. Though on her own account she was not inactive in this matter, and practised no niggardly restraint therein, her participation in the sum total of Clochemerle's embraces should be regarded as trifling in comparison with the function of suggestion that she exercised, and the allegorical position she occupied, throughout the district. This radiant, flaming creature was a torch, a Vestal richly endowed, entrusted by some Pagan goddess with the task of keeping alight at Clochemerle the fires of passion. Her face beneath its fascinating fringe was a trifle wide. Its outline was graceful in the extreme, with its firm jaw, the faultless teeth of a woman with good appetite and juicy lips continually moistened by her tongue, and enlivened by a pair of black eyes which still further accentuated its brilliance. One cannot enter into details where her too intoxicating form is concerned. Its lovely curves were so designed that your gaze was held fast until you had taken them all in. It seemed as though Pheidias, Raphael, and Rubens had worked together to produce it, with such complete mastery had the modelling of the prominent points been carried out, eschewing scantiness in every way, and dexterously insisting upon amplitude and fullness in such manner as to provide the eyes of desire with conspicuous landmarks on which to rest. Her breasts were two lovely promontories. Wherever one looked, one discovered soft open spaces, alluring estuaries, pleasant glades, hillocks, mounds, where pilgrims could have lingered in prayer, where they could have quenched their thirst at cooling springs. But without a passport--and such was rarely given--this rich territory was forbidden ground. A glance might skim its surface, might detect some shady spot, might linger on some peak. But none might venture farther, none might touch. So milk-white was her flesh, so silky its texture, that the sight of it the men of Clochemerle grew hoarse of speech and were overcome by feelings of recklessness and desperation. Imagine a swarthy-looking, ill-tempered person, dried-up and of viperish disposition, with a bad complexion, an evil expression, a cruel tongue, defective internal economy, and over all this a layer of aggressive piety and loathsome suavity of speech. A paragon of virtue of a kind that filled you with dismay, for virtue in such guise as this is detestable to behold, and in this instance it seemed to be inspired by a spirit of hatred and vengeance rather than by ordinary feelings of kindness. An energetic user of rosaries, a fervent petitioner at her prayers, but also an unbridled sower of calumny and clandestine panic. In a word, she was the scorpion of Clochemerle, but a scorpion disguised as a woman of genuine piety. The question of her age had never been considered, was never raised at all. She was probably a little over forty, but no one cared. She had lost all physical attraction since her childhood. After the death of her parents, from whom she inherited an income of eleven hundred francs, at the age of twenty-seven, she had begun her career as a solitary old maid, at the bottom of Monks Alley beneath the shadow of the church. From that spot she kept daily and nightly watch over the town, whose infamy and licence she was constantly denouncing in the name of a virtue which the men of Clochemerle had left carefully on one side. Everything of a virile nature filled her with hatred and resentment. She watched the boys clumsily enticing the girls, the girls' hypocritical provocations of the boys, and the gradual understandings that grew up between demure little maidens and good honest clod-hoppers. Such spectacles made her think that these youthful frolics were paving the way for frightful abominations. More than ever before, she felt that the urinal had become a source of the utmost peril for the morals of the town. Lastly, with the arrival of hot weather, Monks Alley began to acquire a highly unpleasant smell. Well-armed with scapularies and other emblems of piety, and having diluted her poison with the honey of eloquent persuasiveness,she proceeded one morning to the home of the Devil's minion, that infamous woman Judith Toumignon, her neighbour, to whom for six years she had not opened her mouth Well, actually four and a half stars. I was wondering where it was hiding, that France of Oh, la la! The knowing smiles, the buxom wenches, young men and women with an eye on the main chance. We saw a lot of that in Rabelais, and a touch of it in Jacques Tati, but somewhere along the line, it got swept under the carpet. Maybe it was the dour expression of Jean-Paul Sartre that killed it off. Fortunately, before he or any of his confederates had a chance to do it, there was this French writer nam Well, actually four and a half stars. Fortunately, before he or any of his confederates had a chance to do it, there was this French writer named Gabrielle Chevaller, who, in , wrote a book variously called Clochemerle or The Scandals of Clochemerle. Imagine a lazy wine-growing town in Beaujolais, not too far from the Rhone or the city of Lyons, where the sex lives of the inhabitants are fully as ripe as the grapes for which the town is famous. Not all, of course: There are a few sour pickles, such as Justine Putet, who cause all the trouble. And trouble there was. It all started with a public urinal right near the church and opposite the windows of La Putet. From such small mustard seeds, such gigantic trees grow. Here is a sample from Jocelyn Godefroi's excellent translation, describing the lovely young Hortense, daughter of two plug-ugly French misers: How the pure and charming Hortense could ever have been begotten by these two monsters of ugliness, accentuated in one case [the mother] by a stupid middle-class pretentiousness, and in the other [the father] by all too successful knavery, one cannot undertake to explain. One may suggest some sprightly humor on the part of atoms, on a revenge taken by cells which, too long the victims of immoral unions and wearing of assembling in hateful Girodots, had blossomed one fine day into an adorable Girodot. These mysterious alternations are evidences of a law of equilibrium whereby the world is enabled to endure without falling into a state of utter debasement. On the manure heap of degeneracy, covetousness, and the lowest instincts of man, exquisite plants are sometimes seen to sprout. Unknown to herself, and unrealized by those around her, Hortense Girodot was one of those works of fragile perfection, like the outspread rainbow, which Nature may sometimes insert in horrible surroundings as a pledge of her fantastic friendship for our pitiful race. Remember that phrase "law of equilibrium," in conjunction with rainbows, when you read the book and its surprising deux ex machina conclusion. This was a delightful book to read, and probably the funniest work of French fiction in well over a century. Clochemerle was originally published in France in and translated into English by Jocelyn Godefroi. And where will it be situated? Chevallier populates the town with a whole load of brilliant characters and spends two chapters just introducing us to some of them. It's not human, that sort of thing After all, you are a man! There have been people who've gone off their heads from that. But the faithful servant treated him like an unruly child: 'You're not going to ruin your health, are you? Company Credits. Technical Specs. Episode List. Plot Summary. Plot Keywords. Parents Guide. External Sites. User Reviews. User Ratings. External Reviews. Metacritic Reviews. Photo Gallery. Trailers and Videos. Crazy Credits. Alternate Versions. Rate This. Episode Guide. A rural French town attempts to erect a public urinal. Added to Watchlist. TV Watchlist. Vintage British TV. Classic TV Comedy. Share this Rating Title: Clochemerle 8. Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Episodes Seasons. Photos Add Image. Edit Cast Series cast summary: Peter Ustinov Narrator 9 episodes, Roy Dotrice Justine Putet 8 episodes, Michael Golden Lagouche 8 episodes, Larry Noble Ploquin 8 episodes, John Turtle Laroudel 8 episodes, Cyd Hayman Adele Torbayon 7 episodes, Freddie Earlle Francois Toumignon 7 episodes, Catherine Rouvel Judith Toumignon 7 episodes, John Barrett Poipanel 7 episodes, Deddie Davies Madame Fouache 7 episodes, Ruth Harrison Madame Chavaigne 7 episodes, Roland MacLeod Machevoigne 7 episodes, Peter Madden Doctor Mouraille 7 episodes, Mollie Maureen Madame Lagousse 7 episodes, Gwen Nelson Madame Voujon 7 episodes, Miriam Raymond Madame Nicholas 7 episodes, Richard Shaw Eugene Fadet 7 episodes, Cyril Cusack Mayor Barthelemy Piechut 6 episodes, Kenneth Griffith Ernest Tafardel 6 episodes, Bernard Bresslaw Nicholas The Beadle 6 episodes, Barry Linehan Clochemerle (TV series) - Wikipedia

From that spot she kept daily and nightly watch over the town, whose infamy and licence she was constantly denouncing in the name of a virtue which the men of Clochemerle had left carefully on one side. Everything of a virile nature filled her with hatred and resentment. She watched the boys clumsily enticing the girls, the girls' hypocritical provocations of the boys, and the gradual understandings that grew up between demure little maidens and good honest clod-hoppers. Such spectacles made her think that these youthful frolics were paving the way for frightful abominations. More than ever before, she felt that the urinal had become a source of the utmost peril for the morals of the town. Lastly, with the arrival of hot weather, Monks Alley began to acquire a highly unpleasant smell. Well-armed with scapularies and other emblems of piety, and having diluted her poison with the honey of eloquent persuasiveness,she proceeded one morning to the home of the Devil's minion, that infamous woman Judith Toumignon, her neighbour, to whom for six years she had not opened her mouth Well, actually four and a half stars. I was wondering where it was hiding, that France of Oh, la la! The knowing smiles, the buxom wenches, young men and women with an eye on the main chance. We saw a lot of that in Rabelais, and a touch of it in Jacques Tati, but somewhere along the line, it got swept under the carpet. Maybe it was the dour expression of Jean-Paul Sartre that killed it off. Fortunately, before he or any of his confederates had a chance to do it, there was this French writer nam Well, actually four and a half stars. Fortunately, before he or any of his confederates had a chance to do it, there was this French writer named Gabrielle Chevaller, who, in , wrote a book variously called Clochemerle or The Scandals of Clochemerle. Imagine a lazy wine-growing town in Beaujolais, not too far from the Rhone or the city of Lyons, where the sex lives of the inhabitants are fully as ripe as the grapes for which the town is famous. Not all, of course: There are a few sour pickles, such as Justine Putet, who cause all the trouble. And trouble there was. It all started with a public urinal right near the church and opposite the windows of La Putet. From such small mustard seeds, such gigantic trees grow. Here is a sample from Jocelyn Godefroi's excellent translation, describing the lovely young Hortense, daughter of two plug-ugly French misers: How the pure and charming Hortense could ever have been begotten by these two monsters of ugliness, accentuated in one case [the mother] by a stupid middle-class pretentiousness, and in the other [the father] by all too successful knavery, one cannot undertake to explain. One may suggest some sprightly humor on the part of atoms, on a revenge taken by cells which, too long the victims of immoral unions and wearing of assembling in hateful Girodots, had blossomed one fine day into an adorable Girodot. These mysterious alternations are evidences of a law of equilibrium whereby the world is enabled to endure without falling into a state of utter debasement. On the manure heap of degeneracy, covetousness, and the lowest instincts of man, exquisite plants are sometimes seen to sprout. Unknown to herself, and unrealized by those around her, Hortense Girodot was one of those works of fragile perfection, like the outspread rainbow, which Nature may sometimes insert in horrible surroundings as a pledge of her fantastic friendship for our pitiful race. Remember that phrase "law of equilibrium," in conjunction with rainbows, when you read the book and its surprising deux ex machina conclusion. This was a delightful book to read, and probably the funniest work of French fiction in well over a century. Clochemerle was originally published in France in and translated into English by Jocelyn Godefroi. And where will it be situated? Chevallier populates the town with a whole load of brilliant characters and spends two chapters just introducing us to some of them. It's not human, that sort of thing After all, you are a man! There have been people who've gone off their heads from that. But the faithful servant treated him like an unruly child: 'You're not going to ruin your health, are you? And what will it be to God if you get a bad illness? At the time of the novel Ponosse is more interested in the local wine and his pipe, much to the annoyance of Honorine. All the women of Clochemerle were envious of Judith and all the men desired her; Hippolyte Foncimage, Judith's elegant lover; Dr Mouraille, the incredibly brutal and insensitive doctor; the notary Girodot, his wife and his nineteen year-old daughter, Hortense— described as 'a strange family' who seemed to like money above everything else. Chevallier delights in giving us the details of all these characters; and with the description of Justine Putet, Chevallier really excels himself: Enter Justine Putet, of whom it is now time to speak. A paragon of virtue of a kind that filled you with dismay, for virtue in such a guise as this is detestable to behold, and in this instance it seemed to be inspired by a spirit of hatred and vengeance rather than by ordinary feelings of kindness. And so, it is on a glorious April day, 'as though the world had had a fresh coat of paint', that the urinal is 'opened' to the public. And so, what could possibly go wrong? Well, the urinal becomes a sort of hang-out for the local teenagers who start to lark about and there is a steady stream of visitors. As Justine Putet's house overlooks the urinal she watches what is going on and is furious with the depravity of her fellow citizens, especially with the larking about of the boys. She tries to get others to support her opposition to the urinal but it's a slow business as most people aren't as bothered as she is. But she persists and whenever something bad happens she's the first to blame the corrupting influence of the urinal; such as when a girl gets pregnant. Slowly support grows and the battle ensues between the Urinophobes and the Urinophiles. I won't reveal much more of the plot but it's all rather funny and farcical. The characters are all expertly described and then let loose to cause chaos. Up to this point Chevallier has expertly ramped up the tensions between the characters but I feel he loses control of the story a bit from hereon, especially when he switches the focus of the story to Paris as the scandals start to get the attention of the Parisian politicians. In the end the army get involved but I feel it would have worked better if he'd kept the focus entirely on Clochemerle, which would have made it feel more claustrophobic. The 'interludes' in Paris just seem unnecessary. There is nothing in human affairs that is a true subject for ridicule. Beneath comedy lies the ferment of tragedy; the farcical is but a cloak for coming catastrophe. Sep 09, Michel rated it really liked it Shelves: doulce , lit , humor. Don Camillo in Burgundy. I was like 10 years old when I read this. You can imagine the mirth read: guffaws of a male pre-teener, reading the story of a mayor who wants to build a urinal against the parish church, and the plotting between parish priest and conservative parishioners! I want to read it again. Might not be quite so funny now, tho. Dec 25, Karyn rated it really liked it. It's a lovely idea for a book: take a secluded, rustic, wine-growing village in the Beaujolais region of France, where traditions are long-established and nothing has changed in years, and explore what happens when the inhabitants are exposed to all the new ideas and products of the modern world. Up until the s the fictitious village of Clochemerle was staid and secluded. Things were done as they had always been done, son succeeding father, with life lived according to patterns imposed by th It's a lovely idea for a book: take a secluded, rustic, wine-growing village in the Beaujolais region of France, where traditions are long-established and nothing has changed in years, and explore what happens when the inhabitants are exposed to all the new ideas and products of the modern world. Things were done as they had always been done, son succeeding father, with life lived according to patterns imposed by the seasons, and the processes of ageing. Village pride came from the certainty that they produced the finest wine in all of France, and what else could possibly matter? All that was needed for a happy life was favourable weather, a cellar full of wine, a good vintage each year, a satisfied wife and a house full of children. Nov 11, Huw Evans rated it it was amazing Shelves: top-shelf , fiction , french. This is one of my all time favourites and, having leant it to somebody else Paddy if you're reading this, it was you i have not been able to find another without breaking the law. The synopsis of the plot is the fallout that follows the installation of a urinoir in a sleepy French village. The characters are beautifully observed and the description of events is mastefully understated. I need to find another copy so I can re-read this masterpiece fo French fiction. This is one of my favourite books of all time. Funny, quaint, naughty, and endearing. It's one of the few books which have made me laugh out loud. Bawdy goings-on in rural France between the wars. Very good at character and plot — the humor is occasionally barbed, a la Twain. Sep 17, Alonzo Church added it. So this was a DNF. I would open the book on the trip to work, and there would be one set of characters having misadventures and a set of good looking women to set them on the wrong path. Then I would open the book on the way home, and there would be a different set of characters having a different collection of misadventures. By the time I got into that bunch, I would be home. Parts of this book are laugh out loud funny, parts are bawdy, the small town satire is recognizable to us Americans, even if the politics are specific to France. But like a lot of comic novels, it seems to get confused the longer it goes on. And identify with the characters? Back to mysteries, then. Aug 29, Jonathan rated it really liked it. Deservedly famous, and hardly surprising that a TV adaptation was so popular in Britain. The book reads like the plot of four or five 'Carry On' films running simultaneously and scripted by George Bernard Shaw. Just for once, the term 'Rabelaisian', is justified. Chevallier is an equal-opportunities satirist, and nobody male, female, rich, poor, religious, secular etc etc escapes his derision. They're all self- serving rogues or pompous fools. About three-quarters of the way through, the book do Deservedly famous, and hardly surprising that a TV adaptation was so popular in Britain. About three-quarters of the way through, the book does go somewhat off the rails. Chapter 17 and part of Chapter 18 are rather pointlessly narrated by the village policeman, rather than the author, and this totally breaks the flow. The tone gets darker, certain incidents e. Justine Putet's mental breakdown are described with an unnecessary cruelty and Chevallier's attempt to satirise international politics is delivered with a sledgehammer, rather than the rapier he employed previously. The final chapter tries to tie up a few loose ends but the last 80 pages or so seemed muddled and rushed to me. Sep 05, James Murphy rated it really liked it. Like a Bordeaux red, this satire has aged well. The parodies, particularly of the politicians and the clergy, are as incisive today as they were when written. Sexual politics, though, have undergone a revolution since this work was written. Some of the attitudes towards women, particularly those held by the country police officer, would likely enrage modern feminists. If you like Catch, you will love this book; it is absurdity delivered deadpan. Jul 14, Pascale rated it liked it. A nice, classic story of local politics and how people in a backwater make mountains out of molehills. Yet I expected rather more from a book whose title has become a commonplace name for a certain type of behavior. Chevallier's insights into crowd psychology aren't particularly acute and he spends rather too much time on sex. His caricature of sexually frustrated spinsters feels quite dated. An absolute classic, if a bit wordy! Brilliant pen picture of a 's French wine growing village. It all seems to be purely local events, but bit by bit a chain of events emerges that will impact on the post WW1 peace negotiations. Great fun and enjoyable as a simple read that makes you laugh or something more complex that makes you think! Jan 15, Rastislav Fedor rated it did not like it. OMG what was that??? More fun in French. Mar 28, Fiona McCall rated it liked it. Very funny in parts, didn't quite know how to finish. Sep 20, Joelb rated it liked it. Clochemerle was written in , depicting the daily life and petty rivalries of a provincial small town in France. The characters are delightfully silly and self-centered and are good for some laughs, but I have no idea as to whether they are representative. I suspect not. He locates the urinal across from the church, effectively foregrounding the conflict between church and state. If this novel is to be believed, French village-dwellers in the s almost constantly found themselves in bed with the spouses of others. These trysts are usually presented as matters of male conquest for seducers and humiliation for cuckolds. Apart from a couple of strong, sexually self-possessed women, the story of sex is a story of male pride. This seems to me to be one way this novel is dated. One amusing aspect is the way that a local issue, like the pissoir, can become a matter for government and church bureaucracies to adjudicate. It stretches credulity to think that government officials and bishops could strategize about turning this situation to their advantage, but it is a comic novel, after all. Shelves: french-lit. Clochemerle was recommended to me by every one of my French history professors. It is the perhaps the single best introduction to the everyday frictions that existed between the Catholic Right and the Positivist left that existed in small-town France in the first half of the twentieth century. My French lit professors would have preferred to think that this book did not exist. Clochemerle is work of mass-market comedy and lacks any subtlety which is the reason that it is such an extraordinary his Clochemerle was recommended to me by every one of my French history professors. Clochemerle is work of mass-market comedy and lacks any subtlety which is the reason that it is such an extraordinary historical document. The portrait of rural France that is found in Clochemerle is not that different from the one found in Joanne Harris' "Chocolat". If you liked "Chocolat" you are almost certain to like Clochemerle. A brilliantly written and magisterially translated piece of comic literature. But this is not a cynical caricature of French village life. There is a warm thread of generosity that permeates through and a clear moral that emerges at the end wit A brilliantly written and magisterially translated piece of comic literature. There is a warm thread of generosity that permeates through and a clear moral that emerges at the end with being moralistic. One of my favourite books ever! Mar 05, Summerafternoo rated it liked it. Uproarious farce played out characters living in Chochemerle-en-Beaujolais. It all started when the Mayor, an eccentric old gentleman of large property and a much respected pedigree, put forth the idea of erecting a monument as a shining example of the superiority his progressive town council; and proposes building a pissor in the town square so that the men wouldn't be forced to return to their parlors to us the toilet - and the farce is off to a excellent page read. I really enjoyed this book. The language is a bit flowery and takes a bit of getting used to, but it works. The interesting thing is that although it was written in the 30s and set in the 20s, it could just as easily be contempory. The characters are fantastic and the story just romps along. Vintage British TV. Classic TV Comedy. Share this Rating Title: Clochemerle 8. Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Episodes Seasons. Photos Add Image. Edit Cast Series cast summary: Peter Ustinov Narrator 9 episodes, Roy Dotrice Justine Putet 8 episodes, Michael Golden Lagouche 8 episodes, Larry Noble Ploquin 8 episodes, John Turtle Laroudel 8 episodes, Cyd Hayman Adele Torbayon 7 episodes, Freddie Earlle Francois Toumignon 7 episodes, Catherine Rouvel Judith Toumignon 7 episodes, John Barrett Poipanel 7 episodes, Deddie Davies Madame Fouache 7 episodes, Ruth Harrison Madame Chavaigne 7 episodes, Roland MacLeod Machevoigne 7 episodes, Peter Madden Doctor Mouraille 7 episodes, Mollie Maureen Madame Lagousse 7 episodes, Gwen Nelson Madame Voujon 7 episodes, Miriam Raymond Madame Nicholas 7 episodes, Richard Shaw Eugene Fadet 7 episodes, Cyril Cusack Mayor Barthelemy Piechut 6 episodes, Kenneth Griffith Ernest Tafardel 6 episodes, Bernard Bresslaw Nicholas The Beadle 6 episodes, Barry Linehan Arthur Torbayon 6 episodes, Christian Roberts Hippolyte Foncimagne 6 episodes, Micheline Presle Baroness Courtebiche 5 episodes, Georgina Moon Rose Bivaque 5 episodes, Carolyn Moody Madame Fadet 5 episodes, Gordon Rollings Blazot 5 episodes, James Wardroper Claudius Brodequin 4 episodes, Ian Gray Oscar De St. Choul 4 episodes, Hugh Griffith Alexandre Bourdillat 3 episodes, Madeline Smith Hortense Girodot 3 episodes, Wolfe Morris Monsieur Girodot 3 episodes, Nigel Green Captain Tardinaux 3 episodes, Sheila Brennan Babette Manapoux 3 episodes, Pamela Cundell Estelle De St. Choul 3 episodes, Tom Kempinski Lieutenant 3 episodes, Nita Lorraine Madame Girodot 3 episodes, David Quilter Bernard Samothrace 3 episodes, John Glyn-Jones Archbishop of Lyon 2 episodes, Diane Holland Honorine 2 episodes, Frederick Peisley Petitbois 2 episodes, Dennis Price Alexis Luvelat 2 episodes, Kenneth Watson Sergeant 2 episodes, Aubrey Woods Edit Storyline A rural French town attempts to erect a public urinal. Genres: Comedy. Edit Did You Know? Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report this. Add the first question. Language: English. Runtime: 30 min 9 episodes min 4 episodes. Sound Mix: Mono. Color: Color. Edit page. Add episode. October Streaming Picks. Back to School Picks. Clear your history. Narrator 9 episodes, Justine Putet 8 episodes, Lagouche 8 episodes, Ploquin 8 episodes, Laroudel 8 episodes, Clochemerle - Wikipedia

Title: Clochemerle TV Movie In Clochemerle, a French village situated in the Beaujolais region, all the inhabitants are agog over an exceedingly upsetting event: not only has Piechut, the mayor, decided to install a new urinal in the village square but he wants it built beside the local church as well. Written by Guy Bellinger. It was achingly funny in a very French way - irreverent; very political - and I wondered how it might translate to the screen. I would award it a 9. Looking for something to watch? Choose an adventure below and discover your next favorite movie or TV show. Visit our What to Watch page. Sign In. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Full Cast and Crew. Release Dates. Official Sites. Company Credits. Technical Specs. Plot Summary. Plot Keywords. Parents Guide. External Sites. User Reviews. User Ratings. External Reviews. Metacritic Reviews. Photo Gallery. Trailers and Videos. Crazy Credits. After the death of her parents, from whom she inherited an income of eleven hundred francs, at the age of twenty-seven, she had begun her career as a solitary old maid, at the bottom of Monks Alley beneath the shadow of the church. From that spot she kept daily and nightly watch over the town, whose infamy and licence she was constantly denouncing in the name of a virtue which the men of Clochemerle had left carefully on one side. Everything of a virile nature filled her with hatred and resentment. She watched the boys clumsily enticing the girls, the girls' hypocritical provocations of the boys, and the gradual understandings that grew up between demure little maidens and good honest clod-hoppers. Such spectacles made her think that these youthful frolics were paving the way for frightful abominations. More than ever before, she felt that the urinal had become a source of the utmost peril for the morals of the town. Lastly, with the arrival of hot weather, Monks Alley began to acquire a highly unpleasant smell. Well-armed with scapularies and other emblems of piety, and having diluted her poison with the honey of eloquent persuasiveness,she proceeded one morning to the home of the Devil's minion, that infamous woman Judith Toumignon, her neighbour, to whom for six years she had not opened her mouth Well, actually four and a half stars. I was wondering where it was hiding, that France of Oh, la la! The knowing smiles, the buxom wenches, young men and women with an eye on the main chance. We saw a lot of that in Rabelais, and a touch of it in Jacques Tati, but somewhere along the line, it got swept under the carpet. Maybe it was the dour expression of Jean-Paul Sartre that killed it off. Fortunately, before he or any of his confederates had a chance to do it, there was this French writer nam Well, actually four and a half stars. Fortunately, before he or any of his confederates had a chance to do it, there was this French writer named Gabrielle Chevaller, who, in , wrote a book variously called Clochemerle or The Scandals of Clochemerle. Imagine a lazy wine-growing town in Beaujolais, not too far from the Rhone or the city of Lyons, where the sex lives of the inhabitants are fully as ripe as the grapes for which the town is famous. Not all, of course: There are a few sour pickles, such as Justine Putet, who cause all the trouble. And trouble there was. It all started with a public urinal right near the church and opposite the windows of La Putet. From such small mustard seeds, such gigantic trees grow. Here is a sample from Jocelyn Godefroi's excellent translation, describing the lovely young Hortense, daughter of two plug-ugly French misers: How the pure and charming Hortense could ever have been begotten by these two monsters of ugliness, accentuated in one case [the mother] by a stupid middle-class pretentiousness, and in the other [the father] by all too successful knavery, one cannot undertake to explain. One may suggest some sprightly humor on the part of atoms, on a revenge taken by cells which, too long the victims of immoral unions and wearing of assembling in hateful Girodots, had blossomed one fine day into an adorable Girodot. These mysterious alternations are evidences of a law of equilibrium whereby the world is enabled to endure without falling into a state of utter debasement. On the manure heap of degeneracy, covetousness, and the lowest instincts of man, exquisite plants are sometimes seen to sprout. Unknown to herself, and unrealized by those around her, Hortense Girodot was one of those works of fragile perfection, like the outspread rainbow, which Nature may sometimes insert in horrible surroundings as a pledge of her fantastic friendship for our pitiful race. Remember that phrase "law of equilibrium," in conjunction with rainbows, when you read the book and its surprising deux ex machina conclusion. This was a delightful book to read, and probably the funniest work of French fiction in well over a century. Clochemerle was originally published in France in and translated into English by Jocelyn Godefroi. And where will it be situated? Chevallier populates the town with a whole load of brilliant characters and spends two chapters just introducing us to some of them. It's not human, that sort of thing After all, you are a man! There have been people who've gone off their heads from that. But the faithful servant treated him like an unruly child: 'You're not going to ruin your health, are you? And what will it be to God if you get a bad illness? At the time of the novel Ponosse is more interested in the local wine and his pipe, much to the annoyance of Honorine. All the women of Clochemerle were envious of Judith and all the men desired her; Hippolyte Foncimage, Judith's elegant lover; Dr Mouraille, the incredibly brutal and insensitive doctor; the notary Girodot, his wife and his nineteen year-old daughter, Hortense—described as 'a strange family' who seemed to like money above everything else. Chevallier delights in giving us the details of all these characters; and with the description of Justine Putet, Chevallier really excels himself: Enter Justine Putet, of whom it is now time to speak. A paragon of virtue of a kind that filled you with dismay, for virtue in such a guise as this is detestable to behold, and in this instance it seemed to be inspired by a spirit of hatred and vengeance rather than by ordinary feelings of kindness. And so, it is on a glorious April day, 'as though the world had had a fresh coat of paint', that the urinal is 'opened' to the public. And so, what could possibly go wrong? Well, the urinal becomes a sort of hang-out for the local teenagers who start to lark about and there is a steady stream of visitors. As Justine Putet's house overlooks the urinal she watches what is going on and is furious with the depravity of her fellow citizens, especially with the larking about of the boys. She tries to get others to support her opposition to the urinal but it's a slow business as most people aren't as bothered as she is. But she persists and whenever something bad happens she's the first to blame the corrupting influence of the urinal; such as when a girl gets pregnant. Slowly support grows and the battle ensues between the Urinophobes and the Urinophiles. I won't reveal much more of the plot but it's all rather funny and farcical. The characters are all expertly described and then let loose to cause chaos. Up to this point Chevallier has expertly ramped up the tensions between the characters but I feel he loses control of the story a bit from hereon, especially when he switches the focus of the story to Paris as the scandals start to get the attention of the Parisian politicians. In the end the army get involved but I feel it would have worked better if he'd kept the focus entirely on Clochemerle, which would have made it feel more claustrophobic. The 'interludes' in Paris just seem unnecessary. There is nothing in human affairs that is a true subject for ridicule. Beneath comedy lies the ferment of tragedy; the farcical is but a cloak for coming catastrophe. Sep 09, Michel rated it really liked it Shelves: doulce , lit , humor. Don Camillo in Burgundy. I was like 10 years old when I read this. You can imagine the mirth read: guffaws of a male pre-teener, reading the story of a mayor who wants to build a urinal against the parish church, and the plotting between parish priest and conservative parishioners! I want to read it again. Might not be quite so funny now, tho. Dec 25, Karyn rated it really liked it. It's a lovely idea for a book: take a secluded, rustic, wine-growing village in the Beaujolais region of France, where traditions are long-established and nothing has changed in years, and explore what happens when the inhabitants are exposed to all the new ideas and products of the modern world. Up until the s the fictitious village of Clochemerle was staid and secluded. Things were done as they had always been done, son succeeding father, with life lived according to patterns imposed by th It's a lovely idea for a book: take a secluded, rustic, wine- growing village in the Beaujolais region of France, where traditions are long-established and nothing has changed in years, and explore what happens when the inhabitants are exposed to all the new ideas and products of the modern world. Things were done as they had always been done, son succeeding father, with life lived according to patterns imposed by the seasons, and the processes of ageing. Village pride came from the certainty that they produced the finest wine in all of France, and what else could possibly matter? All that was needed for a happy life was favourable weather, a cellar full of wine, a good vintage each year, a satisfied wife and a house full of children. Nov 11, Huw Evans rated it it was amazing Shelves: top-shelf , fiction , french. This is one of my all time favourites and, having leant it to somebody else Paddy if you're reading this, it was you i have not been able to find another without breaking the law. The synopsis of the plot is the fallout that follows the installation of a urinoir in a sleepy French village. The characters are beautifully observed and the description of events is mastefully understated. I need to find another copy so I can re-read this masterpiece fo French fiction. This is one of my favourite books of all time. Funny, quaint, naughty, and endearing. It's one of the few books which have made me laugh out loud. Bawdy goings-on in rural France between the wars. Very good at character and plot — the humor is occasionally barbed, a la Twain. Sep 17, Alonzo Church added it. So this was a DNF. I would open the book on the trip to work, and there would be one set of characters having misadventures and a set of good looking women to set them on the wrong path. Then I would open the book on the way home, and there would be a different set of characters having a different collection of misadventures. By the time I got into that bunch, I would be home. Parts of this book are laugh out loud funny, parts are bawdy, the small town satire is recognizable to us Americans, even if the politics are specific to France. But like a lot of comic novels, it seems to get confused the longer it goes on. And identify with the characters? Back to mysteries, then. Aug 29, Jonathan rated it really liked it. Deservedly famous, and hardly surprising that a TV adaptation was so popular in Britain. The book reads like the plot of four or five 'Carry On' films running simultaneously and scripted by George Bernard Shaw. Just for once, the term 'Rabelaisian', is justified. Chevallier is an equal-opportunities satirist, and nobody male, female, rich, poor, religious, secular etc etc escapes his derision. They're all self- serving rogues or pompous fools. About three-quarters of the way through, the book do Deservedly famous, and hardly surprising that a TV adaptation was so popular in Britain. About three-quarters of the way through, the book does go somewhat off the rails. Chapter 17 and part of Chapter 18 are rather pointlessly narrated by the village policeman, rather than the author, and this totally breaks the flow. The tone gets darker, certain incidents e. Justine Putet's mental breakdown are described with an unnecessary cruelty and Chevallier's attempt to satirise international politics is delivered with a sledgehammer, rather than the rapier he employed previously. The final chapter tries to tie up a few loose ends but the last 80 pages or so seemed muddled and rushed to me. Sep 05, James Murphy rated it really liked it. Like a Bordeaux red, this satire has aged well. The parodies, particularly of the politicians and the clergy, are as incisive today as they were when written. Sexual politics, though, have undergone a revolution since this work was written. Some of the attitudes towards women, particularly those held by the country police officer, would likely enrage modern feminists. If you like Catch, you will love this book; it is absurdity delivered deadpan. Jul 14, Pascale rated it liked it. A nice, classic story of local politics and how people in a backwater make mountains out of molehills. Yet I expected rather more from a book whose title has become a commonplace name for a certain type of behavior. Chevallier's insights into crowd psychology aren't particularly acute and he spends rather too much time on sex. His caricature of sexually frustrated spinsters feels quite dated. An absolute classic, if a bit wordy! Brilliant pen picture of a 's French wine growing village. It all seems to be purely local events, but bit by bit a chain of events emerges that will impact on the post WW1 peace negotiations. Great fun and enjoyable as a simple read that makes you laugh or something more complex that makes you think! Jan 15, Rastislav Fedor rated it did not like it. OMG what was that??? More fun in French. Mar 28, Fiona McCall rated it liked it. Very funny in parts, didn't quite know how to finish. Sep 20, Joelb rated it liked it. Clochemerle was written in , depicting the daily life and petty rivalries of a provincial small town in France. The characters are delightfully silly and self-centered and are good for some laughs, but I have no idea as to whether they are representative. I suspect not. He locates the urinal across from the church, effectively foregrounding the conflict between church and state. If this novel is to be believed, French village-dwellers in the s almost constantly found themselves in bed with the spouses of others. These trysts are usually presented as matters of male conquest for seducers and humiliation for cuckolds. Apart from a couple of strong, sexually self-possessed women, the story of sex is a story of male pride. This seems to me to be one way this novel is dated. One amusing aspect is the way that a local issue, like the pissoir, can become a matter for government and church bureaucracies to adjudicate. It stretches credulity to think that government officials and bishops could strategize about turning this situation to their advantage, but it is a comic novel, after all. Shelves: french-lit. Clochemerle was recommended to me by every one of my French history professors. It is the perhaps the single best introduction to the everyday frictions that existed between the Catholic Right and the Positivist left that existed in small-town France in the first half of the twentieth century. My French lit professors would have preferred to think that this book did not exist. Clochemerle is work of mass- market comedy and lacks any subtlety which is the reason that it is such an extraordinary his Clochemerle was recommended to me by every one of my French history professors. Clochemerle is work of mass-market comedy and lacks any subtlety which is the reason that it is such an extraordinary historical document. The portrait of rural France that is found in Clochemerle is not that different from the one found in Joanne Harris' "Chocolat". If you liked "Chocolat" you are almost certain to like Clochemerle. A brilliantly written and magisterially translated piece of comic literature. But this is not a cynical caricature of French village life. There is a warm thread of generosity that permeates through and a clear moral that emerges at the end wit A brilliantly written and magisterially translated piece of comic literature. There is a warm thread of generosity that permeates through and a clear moral that emerges at the end with being moralistic. One of my favourite books ever! Mar 05, Summerafternoo rated it liked it. Uproarious farce played out characters living in Chochemerle-en- Beaujolais. It all started when the Mayor, an eccentric old gentleman of large property and a much respected pedigree, put forth the idea of erecting a monument as a shining example of the superiority his progressive town council; and proposes building a pissor in the town square so that the men wouldn't be forced to return to their parlors to us the toilet - and the farce is off to a excellent page read. I really enjoyed this book. The language is a bit flowery and takes a bit of getting used to, but it works. The interesting thing is that although it was written in the 30s and set in the 20s, it could just as easily be contempory.

‘Clochemerle’ by Gabriel Chevallier | Intermittencies of the Mind

Edit Cast Series cast summary: Peter Ustinov Narrator 9 episodes, Roy Dotrice Justine Putet 8 episodes, Michael Golden Lagouche 8 episodes, Larry Noble Ploquin 8 episodes, John Turtle Laroudel 8 episodes, Cyd Hayman Adele Torbayon 7 episodes, Freddie Earlle Francois Toumignon 7 episodes, Catherine Rouvel Judith Toumignon 7 episodes, John Barrett Poipanel 7 episodes, Deddie Davies Madame Fouache 7 episodes, Ruth Harrison Madame Chavaigne 7 episodes, Roland MacLeod Machevoigne 7 episodes, Peter Madden Doctor Mouraille 7 episodes, Mollie Maureen Madame Lagousse 7 episodes, Gwen Nelson Madame Voujon 7 episodes, Miriam Raymond Madame Nicholas 7 episodes, Richard Shaw Eugene Fadet 7 episodes, Cyril Cusack Mayor Barthelemy Piechut 6 episodes, Kenneth Griffith Ernest Tafardel 6 episodes, Bernard Bresslaw Nicholas The Beadle 6 episodes, Barry Linehan Arthur Torbayon 6 episodes, Christian Roberts Hippolyte Foncimagne 6 episodes, Micheline Presle Baroness Courtebiche 5 episodes, Georgina Moon Rose Bivaque 5 episodes, Carolyn Moody Madame Fadet 5 episodes, Gordon Rollings Blazot 5 episodes, James Wardroper Claudius Brodequin 4 episodes, Ian Gray Oscar De St. Choul 4 episodes, Hugh Griffith Alexandre Bourdillat 3 episodes, Madeline Smith Hortense Girodot 3 episodes, Wolfe Morris Monsieur Girodot 3 episodes, Nigel Green Captain Tardinaux 3 episodes, Sheila Brennan Babette Manapoux 3 episodes, Pamela Cundell Estelle De St. Choul 3 episodes, Tom Kempinski Lieutenant 3 episodes, Nita Lorraine Madame Girodot 3 episodes, David Quilter Bernard Samothrace 3 episodes, John Glyn-Jones Archbishop of Lyon 2 episodes, Diane Holland Honorine 2 episodes, Frederick Peisley Petitbois 2 episodes, Dennis Price Alexis Luvelat 2 episodes, Kenneth Watson Sergeant 2 episodes, Aubrey Woods Edit Storyline A rural French town attempts to erect a public urinal. Genres: Comedy. Edit Did You Know? Was this review helpful to you? Yes No Report this. Add the first question. Language: English. Runtime: 30 min 9 episodes min 4 episodes. Sound Mix: Mono. Color: Color. Edit page. Add episode. October Streaming Picks. Back to School Picks. Clear your history. Narrator 9 episodes, Justine Putet 8 episodes, Lagouche 8 episodes, Ploquin 8 episodes, Laroudel 8 episodes, Adele Torbayon 7 episodes, Francois Toumignon 7 episodes, Judith Toumignon 7 episodes, Poipanel 7 episodes, Madame Fouache 7 episodes, Madame Chavaigne 7 episodes, Machevoigne 7 episodes, In Clochemerle, a French village situated in the Beaujolais region, all the inhabitants are agog over an exceedingly upsetting event: not only has Piechut, the mayor, decided to install a new urinal in the village square but he wants it built beside the local church as well. Written by Guy Bellinger. It was achingly funny in a very French way - irreverent; very political - and I wondered how it might translate to the screen. I would award it a 9. Looking for something to watch? Choose an adventure below and discover your next favorite movie or TV show. Visit our What to Watch page. Sign In. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Full Cast and Crew. Release Dates. Official Sites. Company Credits. Technical Specs. Plot Summary. Plot Keywords. Parents Guide. External Sites. User Reviews. User Ratings. External Reviews. Metacritic Reviews. Photo Gallery. Trailers and Videos. Crazy Credits. Alternate Versions.

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