Didier Bourdon back on the big screen

Didier Bourdon is what we call a jack of all trades. Since his beginnings, whether at the café-theater or within his comedy trio Les Inconnus, alongside Pascal Légitimus and Bernard Campan, he has always placed laughter at the center of his daily life. Wednesday November 1st, he is showing in the film Invaluable by Eric Fraticelli, based on the true story of three friends who discovered a treasure considered, 40 years later, to be priceless. It is a treasure dating back to the Roman Empire, consisting of around 1,400 gold coins and objects, including a solid gold dish. Most of this treasure was sold by Felix Bianca Maria, the discoverer, who has been on trial for many years.

franceinfo: How did you discover this extraordinary story?

Didier Bourdon: I discovered her with the script, but I didn’t know her. But I know a lot of people know her. When I read the script afterwards I asked questions to Éric Fraticelli, who told me that he had had this film in mind for around ten years. This is his third film and the producer says it is his most successful film. I wish to believe. You were talking about laughter as a common point, another is demand. Éric Fraticelli, I know he really wants to do things as well as possible. On the film Invaluable, there are three characters, three different colors. It comes a little closer to real life characters, but certainly Eric must have extrapolated a little. It’s normal for making a film.

The treasure was discovered in 1985 in a small cove less than two meters deep and very close to the coast. But the three friends are being prosecuted for hijacking a wreck, which they strongly deny. There is a gray area, namely whether the treasure was discovered on dry land or in the sea. At stake, 50% of the loot which apparently amounts to 10 millions of euros.

There’s a funny little scene in the film where there’s the wave passing by and when the coin is in the water, it’s the State’s and in the open air, it’s ours.

“There is really a humanity in the film and I believe that the three characters, in real life, are not too far from what we see on screen.”

Didier Bourdon

at franceinfo

For you, is the starting point of this profession really friendship? We have the impression that you had this need to build your heart family through your professional family in some way?

It’s the team spirit, I think. Besides, I finished my conservatory prize with an extract from The Impromptu of Versailles, where Molière plays himself with his friends. And so I portray all the actors who surrounded Molière and at the end, I address the audience. So, subconsciously, I think I always liked it. The one-man show is not my thing. I’m quite admiring of what they do because it’s a separate job. I would be incapable of doing a one-man show, of speaking directly to the public. I need to play a character.

It started when you were eleven. Did you already know that this job was going to be part of your life?

Yes, I wanted to, but in a slightly confused way. I wanted to do theater. At eleven years old, in fact, I made my first play in Mulhouse, in a small place, which belonged to one of my friends. I already remember being fascinated by the little projectors we had bought. So now, we don’t watch each other play, but we see others and we feel that something is happening, even though we know the boyfriend or girlfriend.

“After a certain moment, we see the character and we no longer see friends. That’s the wonder of theater.”

Didier Bourdon

at franceinfo

What does this role of director mean to you? You have already made several films. The three brothers, The bet, The Three Wise Men or Mrs. Irma. We feel that this is also a cap that suits you?

I’m a little surprised because a lot of actors still ask me if I’ve directed films because I know the different executives on set. Yes, I directed it and it’s a lot of work, I actually refused a lot of roles for that, but I have absolutely no regrets. But it can change careers. You know, it’s true that for The three brothersI had to refuse the role that Anne Fontaine offered me in Dry cleaning. And it’s true that this film would have opened other doors for me. Some people need to be forced to find talent because they aren’t smart enough to see it.

Does that mean that you would like to have other roles from time to time?

Yes, like at the Conservatory. It was on TV that I had the most dramatic roles, with Xavier Durringer in particular. I’m basically trained like that. A “complete” actor at least tries to have several universes. Afterwards, there are people who have preconceptions, especially with The unknown because I was really, very autonomous and at the beginning there was a side “he won’t want to be led, he’ll lead himself. He’ll be unbearable”. But actually not at all, I love it. Afterwards, there are also image issues and the fact that I have a comic side, but it’s a bit of human stupidity. I don’t want to criticize her because I lived on that with sketches, but we miss a guy like Claude Berri for that because he dared to put a guy who came from the gifted, Daniel Auteuil in Ugolin and he dared to put a guy called Coluche in Tchao Pantin. You have to have a little daring.

Finally, since we’re talking about treasure, what is the biggest treasure you own?

My family, in every sense of the word.