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A sweet and touching film about a mute pauper in early twentieth century Paris named Gigot (Gleason). Gigot is a simple minded man, but one with a great heart and a love for others. His ignorance and naivete make him an easy target for the local villagers. The adults and children of the town make him an object of ridicule, and all the while he thinks that they are trying to be his friends. Gigot works as a janitor, but the lady he works for, who is no different from her fellow townsfolk, takes advantage of him and pays him next to nothing. His only friends are the local animals, until one night he finds a Parisian streetwalker and her young daughter abandonded on a doorstep. He takes them back to the dirty cellar where he lives, and he shares what little he has with them. The woman is ungrateful, but Gigot puts on a show for her daughter, and he and the little girl become fast friends. Gleason is very good in what could be his greatest big screen performance. His portrayal is very Chaplinesque in its combination of pathos and humor, and the movie's format and theme are strongly reminiscent of those found in silent films. The befitting score, composed by Gleason and Michael Magne, and the directing, done by Gene Kelly, are both more than adequate, and the authentic French locations add a nice touch to the picture.
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