Messieurs les ronds de cuir: Bureaucracy as a Punchline

Is it worth your time?

If you like old French comedies that move at the speed of a snail in a suit, then sure. It's for people who enjoy watching people argue over absolutely nothing for an hour. If you need explosions or a plot that actually goes somewhere, skip it.

There is something weirdly hypnotic about watching people sit at desks for 90 minutes. They call them ronds de cuir because these guys spend so much time sitting they need special leather cushions to keep from rotting into their chairs. It’s a bit of a classic, I guess, but mostly it just feels like a time capsule of people complaining about paperwork.

The office vibe

The whole thing feels like a stage play that forgot to leave the building. You have these guys—Léonce Corne, Saturnin Fabre—who are just perfect at being insufferable. They bicker over pens, ink pots, and who gets the slightly better view of the hallway. It’s petty. It’s annoying. It’s exactly like every office I’ve ever worked in.

Arletty is in this, which is always a treat, even when she’s stuck in a movie that feels like it’s being held together by duct tape and sheer willpower. She brings a bit of life to the dusty hallways, though the film is mostly occupied with the men and their fragile little egos. 🙄

• The sound quality is… well, it’s from the 30s. Don't expect crystal clear audio.
• I spent a solid ten minutes trying to figure out if that was a real leather cushion or just a prop. It probably doesn't matter.
• The dialogue is fast, but it’s mostly just people talking over each other about administrative nonsense.

It’s not as sharp as The Snob, which had a bit more bite to it. This one is more like a gentle poke at the ribs. It’s light, almost airy, like a pastry that’s been sitting out for three days.

There’s a scene where they discuss a promotion that honestly felt like it lasted a week. I found myself looking at my own desk, wondering if I had any cushions that needed replacing. It’s that kind of movie—it makes you think about your own chores instead of the story.

Is it great cinema? Probably not. Is it a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon if you don't mind black and white films that feel like a dusty attic? Sure. It doesn't try to be anything else. It's just bureaucrats being bureaucrats, and frankly, that's enough of a horror show for me.