Review of L'auberge rouge

I have nothing but the highest regard for Gerard Jugnot, Josie Balasko and Christian Clavier, all of whom are multi-talented and more than capable of directing a film like this so why they were content to put themselves in the hands of a guy whose directorial career peaked with Taxis 2,3 and 4 is anyone's guess. Unwisely the production company has left the names of Jean Aurenche and Pierre Bost, who wrote the great 1951 version where Fernandel, Julien Carrette and Francoise Rosay made, together with director Claude Autant-Lara, a minor masterpiece, and were I either Aurenche or Bost I would be very angry indeed to see my name linked to this tepid remake which not even the usually reliable Clavier can make much of; Clavier is, of course, a fine writer, witness Les Visiteurs but let's face it, Christian, you're no Aurenche. There are several changes: a monkey has become a bear, a snowman has become a scarecrow; a classic has become a bad joke.