Les pattes de mouche: A fast-talking, sweaty mess of a comedy

Is this thing worth your time?

If you like old French comedies that move at the speed of a caffeinated squirrel, maybe. If you prefer movies where characters actually sit down and listen to one another, steer clear. It is basically a headache in celluloid form.

The whole plot hinges on a scrap of paper. You know the kind—the one that, if read by the wrong person, ruins everything. It feels very much like a 19th-century parlor drama that got a bit too excited about being a screwball comedy.

The vibe check

There is a lot of frantic energy here. Pierre Brasseur is doing a lot of heavy lifting, sweating through his lines like he’s trying to win a marathon. Sometimes it works, but mostly it just makes me feel tired for him. 😅

I found myself thinking about The Crazy Countess while watching this. Both films have that same desperate need to keep the plot moving, even when the plot has clearly run out of gas miles back. It’s that old-school pacing where nobody takes a breath.

• The dialogue is so fast I missed half the jokes.
• The set looks like it might fall over if someone sneezes too hard.
• There is a scene with a letter that lasts roughly three lifetimes.

Honestly, the movie gets a bit better when it just lets the characters be ridiculous. When they try to be profound, it’s a disaster. I don’t need a deep life lesson from a farce about a misplaced note, but the movie really tries to sell it anyway.

It’s not as clunky as The Lost Zeppelin, but it shares that same feeling of a project that had a clear plan at the start and then just sort of drifted into chaos. Some of the camera angles are just... strange. Like the operator was leaning on the tripod for a nap.

I don't know. It’s a curiosity, I guess. Probably not something I'll ever put on again, but it’s got a weird charm if you’re into watching people panic for 90 minutes. Don't go in expecting greatness. Just expect a lot of noise. 🤷‍♂️