Samy is what is commonly called a man-child. Indeed, in view of his escapades, to qualify him as adulescent would amount to recognizing in him a semblance of maturity that he does not have. However, he will soon be a dad, so he has no choice but to give up his schemes and accept a real job, in this case as a guard in a department store. In stark contrast, Alexander, a kid mature beyond his early years, but alas spoiled rotten, gets everything he wants from his bereaved tycoon father. However, when he witnesses the antics of the incompetent guardian, the child decides that he does not want a console or some knick-knack, but a “Samy”. Remake from the classic by Francis Veber The toy, The new toyby James Huth, gives a whole new meaning to the expression “man-object”.
“It’s such a powerful concept: the son of the richest man in France who is ‘offered’ a human being as a toy. The social fracture that we are observing at the moment is such that it seems even more current to me than it was at the time, ”argues James Huth during an interview in Paris. “Even the expression ‘child-king’ did not really exist at the time of the original, which nevertheless described this phenomenon which we have since named and which we can observe at leisure. »
For the record, the 1976 film, which starred Pierre Richard and Michel Bouquet, was a big success when it was released. In 1982, Hollywood made one remake disastrous with Richard Pryor and Jackie Gleason. Thirty years later, James Huth in turn tried the blow, with the complicity of Jamel Debbouze and Daniel Auteuil for a result, this time, much happier.
The director of Serial Lover and of Brice of Nice nevertheless had reservations at the start. “When Richard Grandpierre, the producer, approached me to direct a new version of Veber’s film, I replied: ‘But you’re crazy!’ Then I saw the film again, and if I found it as amazing as when I had seen it years before, the perception I had of it was no longer the same. When I was young, I was fascinated by this child, by his universe, by his incredible bedroom… But suddenly, as an adult, I saw for the first time all the harshness of Veber’s film, his biting social charge, where neither the rich nor the poor don’t make it. »
The subject of fatherhood
In light of this observation, James Huth begins to consider the possibility of a different proposal formulated from the original concept. “Anyway, there’s no point in making a remake if it is simply to redo “in the manner of”. And in short, I decided that this film would explore more the themes of fatherhood and the father-son relationship, which particularly affect me. I wanted more emotion. »
However, social considerations are not removed from the story, on the contrary. Samy lives in the penniless Parisian suburbs, while Alexandre (Simon Faliu) leads a grand lifestyle in the family mansion in the countryside, like the lords of yesteryear. One of the subplots concerns Alice (Alice Belaïdi), Samy’s very patient spouse, who, despite her advanced pregnancy, is fighting to maintain the activities of a factory that Alexandre’s father intends to close.
“My film is idealistic, unifying. I don’t believe in a black and white vision. I like nuance, even when I’m making a satirical statement. For example, we can see here that this wealthy businessman sacrificed his relationship with his only son; he sacrificed his family relations, that is to say the essential. Of course money can contribute to happiness: I am not naive. But money must not dominate and direct humans. The idealism I’m talking about would be that humans direct money by privileging relationships with their fellow human beings. This hope, in the film, it resides in the younger generation. »
A dramatic base
In addition to this empathetic look that James Huth takes on characters and situations, The new toy differs from the 1976 film in its tone. Admittedly, it is still a comedy, but felt dramatic touches arise here and there.
“It’s not the easiest thing to write, but it’s what I think makes for the best comedies. The more dramatic the base, the better the comedy. Take all the films that Charlie Chaplin has devoted to the survival of this wanderer… The harder it is, the more the laughter explodes, and therefore the more intense the catharsis. And for actors, it’s much more stimulating. »
In fact, Jamel Debbouze and Daniel Auteuil both prove to be very comfortable with this bias, moving easily from one register to another.
“Jamel was the perfect ‘toy’. What an extraordinary man! For the account, it is thanks to Daniel that he made the film. The thing is that we first proposed the film to Daniel, and it was he who then called Jamel, because they are friends and triple neighbors — in Paris, Avignon and Corsica. It was a huge chance. We rehearsed a lot, reviewing each scene, in order to establish its content, its meaning. That way, during filming, we all make the same film. I am a director of extremes: I direct the actors to the nearest millimeter during the first takes, but then I leave them free for the following ones. »
Ultimately, James Huth is pleased to have agreed to redo, in his own way, the film by Francis Veber. Beyond the laughter, there is one certainty that is essential, and that the filmmaker summarizes as follows: “The most expensive things cannot be bought. »
The film “The New Toy” hits theaters February 24. Our reporter François Lévesque conducted this interview in Paris at the invitation of UniFrance.