La joyeuse prison (1956)

Comedy

Benoit, the head guard of Clouville Prison, prefers to be liked than feared. This basic principle transforms the jail-house into a joyful prison, where all the inmates live amicably together. Among them, various colorful characters : a farmer, a poacher, a distiller, a forger, two pickpockets, a safe-cracker, a gangster and... a good-looking guy who pleases Rosette, Benoit's daughter, well. But too much leniency takes its toll : after Vauclin, the gangster, manages to escape and a complaint is filed against "the deplorable disorder reigning in the joyful prison", Benoit is given early retirement. He will know how to take advantage of his new status live a joyful life with his wife, his daughter and André, his son in law, in fact the nice-looking young prisoner who, in the meantime, has been cleared of all charges.

Cast

Benoit, chief guard
Auguste Tuboeuf, inmate farmer
Breton, safe-cracking inmate
'Petit Louis', burglar inmate
Brigadier
Charlotte Tuboeuf
Filasse, poacher inmate
Blafard, forger inmate
Madame de St-Leu
Maître Larigot
Justine Benoit
Rosette Benoit
André Chauvin
Sub-prefect
Ferdinand Bouchonnet
Vauclin, inmate gangster

Crew