Santa Claus Is a Stinker

Its title made the film almost impossible to advertise in France. In 1982 the RATP and the City of Paris refused to rent public advertising space for the poster, finding the title too irreverent on the grounds that Father Christmas is supposed to make children dream. The source is a play of the same name staged by the Splendid theatre troupe in 1979. It was successful enough that the company had to move to the larger Gaîté Montparnasse in January 1980. The film itself was not a hit on release; its cult status arrived later, through generations of television repeats, and it is now a benchmark of French comedy. Two volunteers are on duty at a psychological support helpline on Christmas Eve. The calls start, then the doorbell goes, and the callers begin arriving in person. The night becomes a chain of disasters. Jean-Marie Poiré directed, with Gérard Jugnot, Thierry Lhermitte, Anémone, Christian Clavier and Josiane Balasko. Who it is for: viewers who like black humour and ensemble comedy; this is among the most quoted films in French popular cinema. Who it is not for: anyone expecting a gentle Christmas film. The humour is deliberately coarse and cruel, and parts of it are uncomfortable now.