La joyeuse prison

Story

Synopsis

Benoit, the head guard of Clouville Prison, prefers to be liked than feared. This basic principle transforms the jail-house into a joyful prison, where all the inmates live amicably together. Among them, various colorful characters : a farmer, a poacher, a distiller, a forger, two pickpockets, a safe-cracker, a gangster and... a good-looking guy who pleases Rosette, Benoit's daughter, well. But too much leniency takes its toll : after Vauclin, the gangster, manages to escape and a complaint is filed against "the deplorable disorder reigning in the joyful prison", Benoit is given early retirement. He will know how to take advantage of his new status live a joyful life with his wife, his daughter and André, his son in law, in fact the nice-looking young prisoner who, in the meantime, has been cleared of all charges.

Director

André Berthomieu

Writers

Paul Vandenberghe, Pierre François, André Berthomieu

Language

French

Country

France

Release date

29 June 1956

Ensemble

Cast

• 

  Michel Simon

  Benoit, chief guard

• 

  Ded Rysel

  Auguste Tuboeuf, inmate farmer

• 

  Paulette Dubost

  Justine Benoit

• 

  Lisette Lebon

  Rosette Benoit

• 

  Michel Roux

  André Chauvin

• 

  Christian Alers

  Sub-prefect

• Georges Baconnet

  Ferdinand Bouchonnet

• Francis Boyer

• 

  Henri Coutet

  Gustave

• 

  Robert Dalban

  Vauclin, inmate gangster

• Paul Derly

  Breton, safe-cracking inmate

• 

  Émile Genevois

  'Petit Louis', burglar inmate