My Childish Father

A middle-aged man, an architect by trade, decides to make an end run around getting married. He marries a charming young woman, tenderly in love, who proves incapable of holding him back and, above all, of making him work. But a young American arrives in Paris and reveals that he is the architect's natural son. At first reluctant, the latter and his young wife quickly adapt to the new situation, until the son, a businessman through and through, wants to share with his father his ideas on life, which can be summed up in one sentence: hard work, with no time for pleasure. The father is quick to balk, and the son is forced to unwillingly participate in the fickle architect's nightlife. Eventually, the father is able to settle down, while the son, having acquired a taste for love, has a good time.

Directed by Léon Mathot, My Childish Father leans on a strong ensemble — Maurice Teynac, Sirena Adgemova, Jean Tissier — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1953.