Name: Pension Jonas
Genre: Comedy
Released: 1942-03-06
Duration: 1 h 38 min
Rating: 4.6
Cast: Pierre Larquey, Irène Bonheur, Jacques Pills

Some films were banned during the occupation ,Marcel Carné's materpiece "le jour se lève" (1939) was forbidden since WW2 broke out by the military censorship, because it was "demoralizing" ; this one was banned ,during the Occupation days ,because of its silliness, deemed inappropriate in those war days .

There was worse , at the time, there has always been worse,and there would be much worse in the future ,in the international cinema .

Pierre Caron was a cheesy director , but "la fessée" ,for instance ,was so crazy it retained some appeal today.

"Pension Jonas " is even madder , implausible to the umpteenth degree ; the screenwriter ,Pierre Very, (uncredited) was no fool and one of the best screenwriter the French cinema had ever had .But what can you do when you are given the dumbest material , an obscure goofy novel ?

Very made the best of it and the cock and bull story is watchable ,provided your belief is suspended .

Not only Jonas (Jonah) ,like the biblical figure, takes refugee in the belly of a whale in a museum ,but unlike him , he finds it cosy and has now a fine apartment ; at night he calls on his friends,the animals in the zoo , who provides him with food (the monkey gives bananas) ; a professor tells his students that one knows nothing ,absolutely nothing about the origins of man :so why bother ?,the audience says ,one of them liking songwriting best .One of the scientist's colleague ,however ,is to come back from Tibet ,with an "invaluable treasure" ,which attracts a band of thieves' attention .....

In which can film can you see a hippo on a leash , walking in the streets,and scaring the passer-bys ? A prehistoric egg which hatches to reveal a small cuckoo clock ?

Pierre Larquey , willingly taking this zany tale seriously , is irresistible.

French-language cinema, whether in France, Québec, or other Francophone regions, explores cultural identity, social change, and the tension between the individual and society. French cinema is not only celebrated for its intellectual experimentation and auteur traditions, but also its success in mainstream comedy, romance, and commercial entertainment. In Québec, films often focus on questions of language, belonging, and community within a distinct cultural landscape.

Jean-Pierre Léaud in The 400 Blows (1959)

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Pension Jonas

Photos

Top Cast22

User reviews1

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed