Cinequest

Onésime, Trainer of Men and Horses

An early Gaumont short.

Onésime et le nourrisson de la nourrice indigne

Onésime needs to take care of an infant and does everything he can to avoid that responsibility.

Zigoto et la blanchisseuse

For some time now, Sosthène, clerk at the Grand Laundromat of Papillon-sous-Bois, has been in love with Alphonsine, the girl who brings the laundry. One evening, he decides to win the heart of his beloved, who until now has been cruel and deaf to his fiery declarations, and if necessary, he'll kidnap her. Hidden at the edge of the woods, when Alphonsine goes by, Sosthène rolls through the grass until he lands at the beauty's feet, proclaiming his love in a deranged voice: "Be mine, or die!", "You idiot!". Blood rushes to Sosthène's head. His...

Onésime Goes to Hell

Not having enough money to pay his drink bill, Onésime sells his soul to the Devil.

Zigoto Drives a Locomotive

When the train workers go on strike, Zigoto terrorizes the town in a hijacked locomotive.

Elastic Transformation

A woman enters a room with a man. She creates a duplicate of him and changes his personality by throwing his clothes from one man to the next.

Onésime and the Heart of the Gypsy

While accompanying his lady to a fashionable casino, Onésime hears someone playing an overpowering waltz on a mandolin, and he starts dancing with his lady. Everyone, from the kitchen hands to the chef, dance until their out of breath.

Zigoto, policier, trouve une corde

Just as the streets to hell, to hear it from the travelers, are paved with good intentions, the illustrious police officer Zigoto's brain is full of the most commendable initiatives. While passing before a door, he sees a piece of rope underneath and thinks it his duty to bend down and pick it up. But he's amazed to see that the more he pulls, the longer the cord becomes: "For a thousand prefects - that was his favorite exclamation - do they take me for a pulley?" Upon the arrival of two officers, the men open the door, when all of a sudden ...

Onésime vs. Onésime

His double behaves very badly, while the real Onésime suffers the consequences.

The Disappearance of Onésime

When Onésime gets declared dead by drowning, the supposed-widow consults a private detective specialized in missing persons.

Onésime, Post Office Employee

Users of the postal service aren't very happy that Onésime spends his work time writing love letters to a lovely lady. Understandably, the woman's husband doesn't take it very well either. To escape his wrath, Onésime can think of nothing better than slipping into the mail duct. And it's pneumatic.

Onésime's Theatrical Debut

Onésime came down and threw himself on stage, starting into the great aria at which he excelled. We must say, in respect for the truth, that he earned what critics calls "the estimated success": Onésime, who has the voice of a barrel salesman, sings like the pulley in a well.

Zigoto's Honeymoon

In the grip of passionate foreplay, Zigoto and his lover are oblivious to an escalating series of interruptions and catastrophes going on around them. (MoMA)

Pendaison à Jefferson City

Joe is about to be hung for his crimes but he's going to reveal the whole truth first.

A Drama on a Locomotive

Henri and Pierre, railroad engineers, are both in love with Jeanne. When Pierre refuses to give her up, a fight breaks out in the engine, imperiling everyone aboard the train.

Calino, Love Tamer

One day, Calino has the bold and imprudent idea to follow a woman down the street. The woman leads him all the way to the traveling lion cage run by her husband. To avoid her husband's jealous anger, the woman introduces Calino as an apprentice lion tamer.

Under the Claw: A Story of the Transvaal

A mine owner discovers a vein of gold but unfortunately dies. His wife doesn't want to sell the mine and so the forman decides to lock her up in a cottage with a dangerous and hungry leopard.

Calino sourcier

A magic wand falls into Calino's hands, and he turns everything he touches into running water, until he falls victim to his own witchcraft. The catastrophic meets the fantastic, for the triumph of the absurd.

One Hundred Dollars, Dead or Alive