The Bureaucrats

The Bureaucrats (Messieurs les ronds-de-cuir) is a 1959 French comedy directed by Henri Diamant-Berger, adapted from Georges Courteline's novel of the same name. The story takes a satirical look at the daily routine of French civil servants, the pen-pushers whose lives revolve around paperwork, petty rivalries and the slow machinery of the ministry. The film is a remake of Diamant-Berger's own 1936 adaptation of Courteline's work. It was shot at the Billancourt Studios in Paris, with art direction by Roger Briaucourt. The cast is headed by Noël-Noël, Philippe Clay and Jean Richard, with appearances by Michel Serrault, Jean Poiret and Bernard Lavalette among the ensemble. Running about 85 minutes, the picture keeps the novel's mocking tone toward the absurdities of bureaucratic life.