The Discord

Guillaume has invented a machine that cleans dirty air by pulling pollutants into balloons and shipping them away. After a boozy dinner with Japanese businessmen, they place a huge order for five thousand units. The snag is Guillaume's workshop is far too small to meet such demand, so the inventor starts turning his private home into a makeshift factory. Bernadette, his wife, watches the chaos spill into their daily life and grows tired of his fixation. She hatches a plan to strike back by running for mayor, hoping to shake up their world and reveal the ridiculous side of progress. Hilarity grows as neighbors get dragged into schemes and the couple tests patience, pride, and loyalty in equal measure today.

Released in 1978, The Discord is directed by Claude Zidi and features Louis de Funès and Annie Girardot; it draws from an original screenplay by Michel Fabre, Pascal Jardin, and Jean-Pierre Mocky, marking another lively French comedy from that era.

Louis de Funès brings his signature physical humor and quick reactions to a story that sits among late 1970s French comedies skewering business culture and domestic life. The film's energy and mix of farce with social observation helped shape a wave of workplace satire, touchstone for fans of the era.

Critics noted a fast paced setup that plays on invention versus everyday life, marital strain and gender expectations in a man dominated world. The film uses humor to examine ambition and the absurd lengths people go to protect reputation, inviting viewers to question progress without losing the gag for audiences.

Box office data for The Discord is not readily available in public sources, so worldwide totals and performance remain difficult to verify, making it hard to gauge its financial impact.