Uranus is a 1990 French film directed by Claude Berry, adapting a novel by the same name that was written by Marcel Aymé and published in 1948. It features an impressive cast (by French standards) that includes Gérard Depardieu, Philippe Noiret, Michel Galabru and Fabrice Luchini.
At the end of World War II, in a French town that is now free from German occupation but suffered destruction from bombings, a Witch Hunt for Les Collaborateurs is happening. Due to the destructions, several people are living in Archambaud's house. One of them is Gaigneux who is a communist and therefore involved in the hunt for collabos.
A man named Maxime Loin helped the Germans and is searched for by the police. Archambaud hides him in his house, in a room where Gaigneux is not supposed to go and find him.
Léopold Lajeunesse owns a bar; out of spite a communist that he humiliated tells the police that Léopold is hiding Maxime Loin, and Léopold goes through much trouble due to that. Monglat is a wealthy man who probably did some shady business with the Germans. Léopold asks him for help with the law.
This film provides examples of the following tropes:
- The Alcoholic: Léopold is a strong alcoholic, his main fear when in jail is that he may not have access to alcohol. His being drunk causes much trouble.
- Les Collaborateurs:
- Maxime Loin is obviously one of them. Some characters would have him face justice; Archambaud hides him, possibly while waiting for justice to be less zealed.
- Monglat is a wealthy man who probably did some shady business with the Germans.
- Uranus Is Showing: Averted. While French for anus is also anus, the name Uranus doesn't sound as a butt joke in French.
- Witch Hunt: This film seems to be much about the witch hunt for collabos which happened when France was fred from German occupation in 1945. It discusses (mostly through Philippe Noiret's character) how it may be wrong to persecute collabos (or people who are suspected of being one). Interestingly communists (who were an important part of the French Resistance) seem to be major actors in this case (as opposed to being the hunted ones).
