Le père Lampion: A Sewer Cleaner Runs the Country, Naturally

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, you should watch Le père Lampion if you have a soft spot for dusty, black-and-white political comedies that feel like they were filmed in a drafty theater basement. If you need tight pacing or high-stakes tension, skip this. It’s a bit of a relic.

The whole setup is ridiculous. President Desnoyaux is basically a puppet for his mistress, Lulu, while his actual staff is busy plotting his downfall. It’s the kind of premise that belongs in a sketchbook, not necessarily a grand political drama. But that’s the charm, I guess.

The Sewer Switch

The moment they find Justin Morille—the guy living in the sewers—it’s just classic. He looks exactly like the President, but with, you know, more grime. The way he just wakes up in the presidential bed after a few drinks is so nonchalant it’s actually funny.

I found myself wondering if anyone would notice the smell. The movie doesn't really address that. It’s more interested in the gold policy. Because, clearly, the best way to run a country is to force everyone to hand over bits of gold and blast your opinions through village loudspeakers.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Le père Lampion (1934) through its definitive frames.

It’s weirdly wholesome that Lampion actually turns out to be a better husband and father than the original guy. Who knew a sewer inspector had such a great family moral compass? 😅

Odd Details

• The conspirators are so cartoonishly evil, they might as well be twirling mustaches.
• The transition from sewer rat to national leader happens so fast you get whiplash.
• The loudspeakers! The idea of the government shouting advice at people in the street feels a bit too real, but here it’s just played for laughs.

It reminded me a bit of the chaos in Polly-tics, where the politics are just an excuse for a good bit of slapstick and general absurdity. It’s not trying to win an Oscar; it’s just trying to keep you entertained for an hour.

By the time Lampion decides he’s done and heads back to the sewers as a self-appointed 'General Inspector', you realize the whole thing was just a fever dream. It’s messy, it’s short, and it doesn't try to solve the world's problems. It just lets a sewer guy run the show for a weekend. Sometimes that’s enough.

The ending is a bit abrupt, like the writers just ran out of tape or patience. But whatever. It works in its own strange way.