Boudu Saved From Drowning (Bondé sauvé des eaux) (1932)

100% of critics liked it
(21 reviews)
80% of users liked it
(5,370 ratings)

Boudu (played by Michel Simon, who also produced the film) is a shaggy, foul-smelling tramp who is rescued from drowning by bourgeois Frenchman Charles Granval. Deciding to "reform" Boudu, Granval invites the hobo into his home. Boudu returns the favor by turning the household upside down and by… More Boudu (played by Michel Simon, who also produced the film) is a shaggy, foul-smelling tramp who is rescued from drowning by bourgeois Frenchman Charles Granval. Deciding to "reform" Boudu, Granval invites the hobo into his home. Boudu returns the favor by turning the household upside down and by conducting an affair with Granval's wife Marcella Hainia. All ends happily--for Boudu at least--when the tramp wins the national lottery and marries maid Severine Lerczynska, who is so delighted that she ends her own affair with the hypocritical Granval. Boudu decides to forego his new-found wealth for his previous carefree existence, leaving the greedy Lerczynska in the lurch. Filmed in 1932, Boudu Saved From Drowning was not released in the US until 1967, at which time it was universally praised by the wine-and-cheese critics. A less subtle but not less hilarious American remake, 1986's Down and Out in Beverly Hills, starred Nick Nolte, Richard Dreyfuss and Bette Midler (this film spawned a brief, heavily laundered 1987 TV sitcom). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 24 min.
Directed By: Jean Renoir
Written By: Jean Renoir, Rene Fauchois
Genres: Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Nov 1, 1932 Limited
On DVD: Aug 23, 2005
Studio: Pathé Contemporary Films

Critic Reviews

Michael Atkinson, Village Voice
Amid the early-talkie crudeness you can see Renoir discover what it means to visually evoke the unpredictable flow of life with composition, movement, and depth.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
Jean Renoir's effortless 1932 masterpiece is as informal, beguiling, and subversive as its eponymous hero.
Sukhdev Sandhu, Daily Telegraph
It's hard to imagine cinema without Boudu Saved From Drowning.
Peter Freedman, Radio Times
It's a neat idea, executed to fine comic effect thanks mainly to a larger-than-life performance from the great French character actor, Michel Simon.
Leo Robson, Financial Times
There is an ingenious performance from Michel Simon as the libidinous tramp and many entertaining comic touches.
Philip Kemp, Total Film
This deliciously subversive 1932 social comedy kicked off Jean Renoir's greatest period.
William Thomas, Empire Magazine
Tier two Renoir, but well worth hunting down, not least for Michael Simon's mighty Catweazle beard.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
The film needs no justification outside itself as a rich, funny, rewarding experience.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
This social comedy is another masterpiece from Renoir.
Wally Hammond, Time Out
The most startling thing about Boudu is just how incredibly fresh it remains.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
This film from 1932 shows Renoir's gift for storytelling and comedy.
Tom Dawson, BBC
Boudu Saved From Drowning is one of Jean Renoir's most enjoyable films. Its wit, freshness and spontaneity continue to impress.
Brent Simon, Now Playing Magazine
The film... mixes its laughs with a certain social poignancy, and one of Renoir's gifts as a filmmaker is the manner in which he blends the two so seamlessly.
Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine
Boudu swings his swang and puts the smack down on le petit bourgeoisie.
Eric Henderson, Slant Magazine
Even enterprise without state can be amply rewarded in the films of Renoir.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Recognized for its marvelous characterizations, its splendid acting and its inventive film technique.

Read all 16 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Eric B

Anyone who has seen "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" knows the thumbnail plot of Jean Renoir's "Boudu Saved from Drowning": a nihilistic bum is taken in by a generous, upscale couple and (contrary to Hollywood formula) abuses their kindness and… More
Anyone who has seen "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" knows the thumbnail plot of Jean Renoir's "Boudu Saved from Drowning": a nihilistic bum is taken in by a generous, upscale couple and (contrary to Hollywood formula) abuses their kindness and does not transform into a wonderful citizen. But people who saw "Down and Out" first may be surprised at just how unlikeable Boudu is, even compared with Nick Nolte's later incarnation. The character is made still more distasteful by Michel Simon's rather broad, burlesque performance (which, alas, still seems mired in silent-movie theatrics). "Boudu" makes some sharp satirical points -- such as showing the police's variable interest in finding a lost dog, depending on the stature of its owner -- but the humor suffers from stiff, outdated filmmaking. The score is almost non-existent, breeding plenty of deadly silences, and the sporadic music only occurs onscreen (examples: a marching band, a wedding orchestra, an organ grinder, a neighbor who enjoys playing flute). Also, it's a comedy that is directed like a drama -- one yearns for quicker editing and more reaction shots. Still, it was a film ahead of its time.

Cast

Michel Simon
as Boudu
Charles Granval
as Monsieur Lastingois
Marcelle Hainia

Severine Lerczinska
Jean Gehret
as Vigour
Marcella Hainia
as Madame Lastingois

See full cast

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Boudu Saved From Drowning (Bondé sauvé des eaux) (1932)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Eric B

Cast

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