The title of this French low-comedy opus refers to a fancy, family-owned hotel. Village buffoon Hippolyte (
Bourvil) hopes to inherit the hotel, but he's opposed by his crafty relatives. In order to qualify for the inheritance, Hippolyte is forced to enroll in grade school, from which he'd never graduated. Romance blossoms in the form of his sexy cousin Gavotte (
Brigitte Bardot), but when Hippolyte learns that her interest in him is purely mercenary, he settles for good-hearted schoolmarm Madeline (Nadine Bassile). Le Trou Normand bears a remarkable resemblance to the 1985
Adam Sandler comedy
Billy Madison. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide