Fantomas

A film that brings a classic villain of French popular literature to the screen. Fantômas is a criminal without a face. He wears a mask and can take on the appearance of anyone he chooses, so nobody can identify him. The journalist Fandor invents a fake interview to prove he exists. On learning this, Fantômas comes after him. Inspector Juve is after them both; a policeman who takes his work seriously and is made ridiculous every time. The character comes from a novel series published at the start of the twentieth century and had been filmed before in the silent era. This version pulls him towards comedy; the dark register of the books is largely abandoned. What the film is known for is the inspector played by Louis de Funès; the popularity he gained from the part shaped his career. Jean Marais plays both the journalist and Fantômas and did most of the dangerous work himself. It was a large commercial success in France and two sequels followed. An enjoyable choice for anyone who likes 1960s French comedy and classic adventure. For a viewer expecting the dark register of the books, the film is entirely light and the criminal element is nearly decorative.