The Story of a Cheat

A cute little film that felt a lot younger than its actual age. Guitry wrote and directed this film, while also taking on the lead role (and I assume that includes the endless voiceovers). The result is quirky and amusing (almost like a very old precursor to Amélie), but also a little tiring.

Guitry tells the life story of a charming cheat. As a young boy, he was already an avid scammer and swindler. When his parents found him out, they punished him by denying him dinner, ultimately saving his life as the food contained poisonous mushrooms. Guitry sees it as a sign from God to keep doing what he loves.

The film is stacked with quirky details, the pacing is pleasant and the cinematography solid. The voiceovers did become a bit much after a while, certainly as they drone on for about the entire length of the film. It's a shame, as there was potential to do even better. It did make me want to check out more of Guitry's work, and that's not something I say very often about classic directors.