the secrets of Christian Clavier on his acting profession

Christian Clavier is one of the most emblematic actors of French cinema, actor but also screenwriter and producer. It was at the café-théâtre that his group of friends within the Splendid troupe was revealed with films that have become cult like Santa Clause is garbage by Jean-Marie Poiré (1982) or Tanned people go skiing by Patrice Leconte (1979), worn by several generations. Then there were films that have become essential with roles like that of Jacquouille the Rogue in Visitors (1993), Operation Corned Beef (1991) or even Asterix and Obelix: Mission Cleopatra (2002). Impossible not to mention his role as Thénardier in Wretched on TV in 2000 or Napoleon Iᵉʳ in Napoleon (2002).

This Wednesday, June 28, 2023, he is showing the film Master Poutifard’s Revenge adapted from the book by Jean-Claude Mourlevat by Pierre-François Martin-Laval.

franceinfo: In Master Poutifard’s Revenge, you are this retired teacher who has only one thing in mind, to take revenge on his former students who prevented him from being a happy man and therefore ruined his life. What seems to have really seduced you is this Count of Monte-Cristo side.

Christian Keyboard: Yes, revenge. That is to say that he suffers, he is a victim. This guy is a victim of his mother who is scary and who eats his life and then of his students who are filthy, absolutely filthy and who go very, very far in wickedness and who have, suddenly, a real catastrophic result on his life. It’s extraordinarily interesting because it’s a tragic subject that doesn’t make a children’s film at all and that’s what makes it fun. Afterwards, it is the universe of Pef which is grafted onto it, that is to say an extremely colorful universe.

Which impressed you a lot!

that I knew of teachers (2013). I trust him, he is a very good director, I know there will be burlesque, gags but integrated into the story. And Isabelle Nanty who plays my mother, but absolutely appalling. So these three reasons made me say to myself: it’s very interesting to embark on this adventure.

You will meet your playmates, Gérard Jugnot and Thierry Lhermitte, at school. You have always been a very good student.

No, I haven’t always been a very good student.

You graduated with honors!

Yes, yes, in the end, I was a good student, I was interested. Some subjects interested me.

You started Sciences-Po, but the acting profession grabbed you.

I started Sciences-Po because it was more practical to be a student at the time. I never really wanted to do Sciences-Po. We all wanted to get together to do theatre. I would say that Sciences-Po is a very quick fork, but people take that because they say to themselves: “Yes, the guy is less stupid than he looks“, but in fact, it’s not true.

Why do you think people think that of you?

Because there is a form of conventional bourgeoisie in the fact of studies, whereas it is really this job that gave me the culture.

“It was by playing Molière, Feydeau that I got a taste for the language, the situations, the great authors of French culture and tradition. Much more than with learning that at school. “

Christian Keyboard

at franceinfo

Very quickly, indeed, there is this pleasure that you all had in common to play together. It’s fun. It was a pleasure to meet again.

It wasn’t just about playing and being happy to be together, it was about making a job out of it. It’s much more important than that. I had to prove to my father that I was going to live on it. We made the decision to try to do a job in the only sector where there was really unemployment at the time, you see how happy our parents were.

“We did theater against the family will to try to prove to ourselves that we were capable of doing a job.”

Christian Keyboard

at franceinfo

So what does this profession of actor bring you?

The fact of escaping from life, from reality. I learn things, I read things. You see, the role of Thénardier, it is extraordinary to read Victor Hugo. With Napoleon, it is absolutely fascinating to understand how Europe is made from the Revolution. These are debates that you hear constantly and which are fascinating and it allows you to learn. It is very interesting to know what Napoleon ate!

There is a little wink from elsewhere in this film.

Yes, because he put something like that. But hey… Often, people ask me: “Do you remember such a replica of Santa Claus?“I don’t remember anything, not even the Visitors apart from “Ok” because it’s a word. I like being in it. I never see the movies I made.

From the beginning ?

Only once because you have to see if it works, how it went. I try to see it in theaters with you as a spectator, because it tells me about the story. I get to see the story, but watching myself has never given me much pleasure.

The French, in any case, adopted you over time. You are part of their memories. Does it touch you to be in the family photo?

Yes, a lot. I’m not jaded about it at all. I am extraordinarily flattered, honored by that. I did this job because I had a passion for actors who had precisely that dimension. Being part of the French family is very important.

Finally, how do you view what you have already accomplished? Are you happy? Does this journey coincide with the man you are?

I did not expect to do such a course. I would be in a bad mood not to be happy with this course. I don’t necessarily derive an incredible vanity from it. I don’t feel at all superior to anyone and I don’t feel like I have, oddly enough, an exceptional destiny whereas for three-quarters of people, yes, it’s exceptional to have made a career like that, to still be in the cinema having started at 20 years old and having the age that I am, since I am 102 years old! And so, it’s great to have so many movies and to be so fit at my age. For what ? Vitamins and sports!