Movie spotlight
Heureux Anniversaire is a 1962 French short comedy film directed by Pierre Étaix. While his wife impatiently waits and gets drunk, a husband tries to get the appropriate anniversary gifts and fight his way home through traffic in time for their celebratory lunch. It won an Oscar in 1963 for Best Short Subject.
A disillusioned advertising executive, unhappy with his marriage, decides to invent a fictional mistress to spice up his life. His plan backfires spectacularly when his wife, who is also unhappy with their marriage, begins to suspect his infidelity. The ensuing chaos leads to a series of comedic misunderstandings and attempts at reconciliation.
Happy Anniversary was met with a mixed to negative reception from critics, who found its humor predictable and its plot flimsy. Audiences were similarly unimpressed, leading to its limited commercial success.
The film's premise relies too heavily on tired marital tropes.
The comedic timing and execution often fall flat.
Lacks the charm and wit expected from a romantic comedy.
Google audience: Audience reviews are sparse, but generally indicate that the film is a forgettable and dated comedy with little to offer modern viewers.
The film marked the feature film directorial debut of John Rich, who would go on to have a highly successful career directing television shows like 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' and 'All in the Family'.
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With his wife (Laurence Lignières) having prepared an anniversary luncheon at home, husband (Pierre Étaix) is out in Paris hoping to get her some nice gifts before returning for dejeuner. What he hasn’t quite factored in, though, is that th...