by Fernandel was the hero of Marcel Pagnol's films, but also Ignace, Barnabé, Simplelet, M. Boniface and … Don Camillo! And here is what is his favorite!
The French actor Fernandel played the character of the Italian parish priest Don Camillo in five films from 1952 to 1965, which were all success at the box office. This sympathetic role which was so well staged him in particular by addressing Jesus directly (doubled by Jean Debucourt, then Renzo Ricci and Jean Topart).
In an interview of 1965, given while he was shooting Don Camillo in Russia and available On the INSFernandel said with greed and the verve that characterizes him how this iconic role arrived in his life:
“I think I play the role of my life”
Francinex Don Camillo
“The first time that Duvivier [Julien Duvivier, le réalisateur et co-scénariste du film, ndlr] sent me the subject, I was in Carry-le-Rouet, near Marseille, on vacation. I turned the table-aux-crevés [d’Henri Verneuil] and in the evening [j’allais] in Carry-le-Rouet (…). And that day I remember, before dinner (…), I started leafing through the script, and I saw the first scene where Don Camillo spoke to Jesus and I said to my wife: 'If really, the subject that I am reading continues as he started, I think I play the role of my life. It was correct, and I finished it at night. “
“The next day I telegraphed in Duvivier and [Robert] Chabert [le producteur français du film] 'Okay' and I fell a film to donate Camillo first. “
A miracle? Almost, because the little world of Don Camillo, who opposes an Italian campaign priest to a communist mayor and who are sometimes common struggles is a triumphant success with 12.79 million admissions in France, and also became an international success. A suite was immediately launched with the same team, the return of Don Camillo (1953), which also made an excellent score with 7.42 million admissions in France.
“Don Camillo, it's Fernandel in life”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08gihoyhuvo
“I found in the role of the character of Don Camillo something human, true, sincere and who adapted to my personality, because if I had had to play a conventional priest (…), I would not have accepted the role. I accepted because it was an extraordinary role, which came in his time, and that Duvivier had treated in an extraordinary way, where it was for me.) Really talked to the Lord. “
“And I found in this character a little of my southern nature, my native Marseille, because after all Don Camillo it is Fernandel in life, with his faconde, the cassock in addition”.
