Carnival in Flanders

Well-done French comedy detailing the occupation of a small Flanders village by Spanish troops. Fearing the brutal treatment received by other towns at the hands of the Spanish, the male citizens decide to "play dead." The funniest moments involve the town's burgomaster, who fakes his own death to the point of lying in state at his wake. The burgomaster's wife prepares the village to welcome the invaders, and they throw such a good carnival that the town is rewarded by a cancellation of its taxes for one year. This pleasant farce took the Grand Prix Du Cinema Francais and the gold medal at the Venice International Exposition of Cinematography. (official distributor synopsis)