La Pere Noel est un Ordure

In 1979, the Parisian theatrical Troupe Splendide created a piece of Theater called La Pere Noel est une Ordure...I suppose to translate this into English with the same linguistic weight, you could say, Santa Claus is a disgusting asshole.
The Troupe Splendide gave france some of its best loved and popular comics and actors.
Gerard Depardieu, Josianne Belasko, Thierry l'Hermitte, Anenome, and Gerard Jugnot among others rose up in 70's, as well as one of Frances most beloved comedians, The incomparable Coluche.
The play was a controversial smash hit. If there ever was an anti It's A Wonderful Life, this is it. The play was filmed with the original cast and is presented occasionally on French television, but in 1982, a full length movie version was made by Jean-Marie Poire with the original cast.

It is my favorite Christmas movie of all time!
In fact, it seems to be Frances biggest modern Christmans tradition. Two years ago, the networks didn't show it and they were innundated with complaints. Maybe some of the bigwigs were embarrassed by the film?

If you saw the smash French international hit movie a few years ago, The Chorists, you will recall the mild sweet choir master, who was played by Gerard Jugnot. As Pere Noel (Felix, a psychotic wino to say the least)Gerard shows the true range of his comic talent.
The movie takes place in a few sets, slightly enlarged from the stage version, the action is breakneck as the dialogue. It is a Christmas Eve set in a SOS Rescue Suicide Prevention Hotline office. The cast includes, the deranged Pere Noel, his very pregnant wife, the hotline workers, a trashy transvestite with a broken high heel and the lonely upstairs neighbor of some unidentified eastern European origin who wants to share the Christmas customs of his country....Strange artisanally made sweets, which the women traditionally roll in their armpits, a Christmas cake that emits a foul gas when cut, his traditional Christmas music and in the stage version, a toast of his countries native drink, with a large preserved toad in the bottle.
After a drug overdose, escape from a mental ward, the transvestite being shot in the foot and the death and dismemberment of the elevator repairman, destruction caused by Eastern European Pastrys....well, there really isn't a happy ending.....

The clip above is the scence culminating in Felix's (pere noel) drug overdose, then the pregnant, homeless wife of Felix and Chazette, the transvestite alone in the office.
Every time I see it, I undwerstand the dialogue a little better.