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Santa Claus Is a Stinker

Santa Claus Is a Stinker

Comedy · 1982

Two neurotics, working for a suicide hotline on the night of Christmas Eve, get caught up in a catastrophe when a pregnant woman, her abusive boyfriend, and a cross-dresser visit their office.

Movie details

Santa Claus Is a Stinker

“"There was a very rude gentleman who wanted to fuck Therese!"”

1982 Comedy 1h 28m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.3 / 10

Community rating

Two neurotics, working for a suicide hotline on the night of Christmas Eve, get caught up in a catastrophe when a pregnant woman, her abusive boyfriend, and a cross-dresser visit their office.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Santa Claus Is a Stinker?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jean-Marie Poiré

Written by

Josiane Balasko · Marie-Anne Chazel · Christian Clavier · Gérard Jugnot

Gérard Jugnot

Gérard Jugnot

Félix

Thierry Lhermitte

Thierry Lhermitte

Pierre Mortez

Anémone

Anémone

Thérèse de Monsou dite « Mme S.O.S »

Christian Clavier

Christian Clavier

Jean-Jacques dit « Katia »

Marie-Anne Chazel

Marie-Anne Chazel

Josette dite « Zézette », compagne de Félix

Josiane Balasko

Josiane Balasko

Marie-Ange Musquin, présidente de l'association

Bruno Moynot

Bruno Moynot

Zadko Preskovitch dit « Presko », le voisin Yougoslave

Court is in session

Put Santa Claus Is a Stinker on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Arthouse Gremlin

“Its refusal to behave is the point.”

The strange choices create the kind of friction that follows you out of the theatre and into the argument.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Oddness is not depth.”

A film can break every rule and still leave nothing behind but the memory of how hard it tried to be singular.