Producer: Jacques Bar. Associate producer: Robert Dorfmann. Distributors: United Artists. Production Company: Cité Films. Copyright 21 October 1951 by Jacques Bar. An Arthur Sachson Enterprises production. New York opening at the Trans-Lux 60th Street: 18 September 1951. U.S. release: 21 October 1951. U.K. release: floating from July 1952. Australian release: 12 December 1952. Sydney opening as a support at the Century. 6,745 feet. 75 minutes. Censored by approximately 2 minutes in Australia.
Filmed simultaneously (by the same players and technicians) in French and English versions. French release title: Le Passe Muraille. Alternative French title: Garou Garou, Le Passe Muraille.
SYNOPSIS: A mild little French government official finds one night after a party that he possesses the curious ability to walk through walls. Resisting the temptation to make money out of his unique powers, he uses them instead to reform a young English girl who, stranded in Paris, has made a career of cat-burgling (wearing suitably black tights).
COMMENT: Although all the critics were evenly divided (they either really loved it or vehemently hated it), I really enjoyed this movie. In fact I'm really amazed that the critics were split right down the middle and that the film received any at all of those carping or totally unenthusiastic reviews.
For instance, I'm glad that "Picturegoer" loved it, but can't fathom why "The New York Times" hated it! We all saw the same movie. I thought Bourvil not only most amusing but outstandingly personable. If anything, I would submit that the screenplay did not fully exploit his talents. I liked the support cast too.
The only fly in the ointment was Joan Greenwood with all her usual affectations of voice and mannerisms. I will admit that Miss Greenwood can be a bit of a pain for newcomers who are not used to her rather unique style, but Bourvil is surely a comedian who should please anybody and who would evoke laughs from every single member of the audience!
OTHER VIEWS: A careless, makeshift production; the cast is half French, half Paris-American, no explanation being given for the discrepancy in accents; the dialogue is flat and employs American slang which rolls uneasily off the tongues of the French players; the comedy, moreover, is heavy-handed and thin. — Monthly Film Bulletin.
Filmed simultaneously (by the same players and technicians) in French and English versions. French release title: Le Passe Muraille. Alternative French title: Garou Garou, Le Passe Muraille.
SYNOPSIS: A mild little French government official finds one night after a party that he possesses the curious ability to walk through walls. Resisting the temptation to make money out of his unique powers, he uses them instead to reform a young English girl who, stranded in Paris, has made a career of cat-burgling (wearing suitably black tights).
COMMENT: Although all the critics were evenly divided (they either really loved it or vehemently hated it), I really enjoyed this movie. In fact I'm really amazed that the critics were split right down the middle and that the film received any at all of those carping or totally unenthusiastic reviews.
For instance, I'm glad that "Picturegoer" loved it, but can't fathom why "The New York Times" hated it! We all saw the same movie. I thought Bourvil not only most amusing but outstandingly personable. If anything, I would submit that the screenplay did not fully exploit his talents. I liked the support cast too.
The only fly in the ointment was Joan Greenwood with all her usual affectations of voice and mannerisms. I will admit that Miss Greenwood can be a bit of a pain for newcomers who are not used to her rather unique style, but Bourvil is surely a comedian who should please anybody and who would evoke laughs from every single member of the audience!
OTHER VIEWS: A careless, makeshift production; the cast is half French, half Paris-American, no explanation being given for the discrepancy in accents; the dialogue is flat and employs American slang which rolls uneasily off the tongues of the French players; the comedy, moreover, is heavy-handed and thin. — Monthly Film Bulletin.