You are here:

The Fatted Calf

Name: The Fatted Calf
Director: Serge de Poligny
Released: 1939
Duration: 85 min

Representation Score

2.7/10

Limited

1939

Director

Serge de Poligny

Runtime

85 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The Fatted Calf is a period-specific comedy that adheres to the social hierarchies of 1939 France. It relies on traditional comedic archetypes and contrasts between steady and opportunistic characters. Women provide financial support but are not portrayed as independent actors. The film reflects a homogeneous social landscape. It does not attempt to challenge contemporary norms or identity-based power structures. Ultimately, the work stays within the conventional social and narrative frameworks of its time, lacking the intentionality needed to move beyond these frameworks.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Fatted Calf have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The story focuses on heterosexual relationships and family dynamics. There are no representations of non-straight identities or critiques of the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does The Fatted Calf portray gender?

Fair

Men play key roles in driving the main conflicts. Wealthy women provide the financial backing necessary for success, but they are not portrayed as independent agents.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Fatted Calf?

Limited

The film depicts a village setting typical of 1939 French cinema. There is no indication of a multi-ethnic cast or the challenging of societal norms.

How does The Fatted Calf represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story examines social mobility and the tension between hard work and opportunism. It uses irony to critique class-based success through a traditional comedic lens.

Does The Fatted Calf include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any depiction of physical or neurodivergent disabilities.

Present on Screen

Explores nuanced themes of social mobility and class-based success.
Provides a character-driven critique of industriousness versus opportunistic behavior.

Limited or Absent

Relies on traditional gendered clichés where women act as mere financial catalysts.
Lacks representation of diverse racial, ethnic, or LGBTQ+ identities.
Maintains a homogeneous social landscape without subverting contemporary norms.

Official Synopsis

Jules Vachon, a pharmacist, has two sons, Gabriel, a steady-minded young man dedicated to his job in the pharmacy, and Gaston, a good for nothing whose only talent is to seduce rich women and take money from their pockets. But it is Gaston who is hailed as a great man when he returns to his native village thanks to his deep pockets.

How are these scores produced? →