| Perrier LaPadite | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Vital statistics | |
| Name | Perrier LaPadite |
| Gender | Male |
| Allegiance | The Dreyfus Family (former) |
| Title/Rank | Farmer |
| Nationality | French |
| Fate | Most likely survived WWII |
| Portrayed by | Denis Ménochet |
- “Je suis Perrier LaPadite [I am Perrier LaPadite].”
- ―Perrier LaPadite
Perrier LaPadite was a French farmer that hid the Dreyfuses from the Nazis.
Biography[]
Little is known about his life. He was born in France, and has three daughters. He was married, but there's no info about his wife or her whereabouts. Due to his location in Nancy, France, he is a cattle farmer.
Story[]
Chapter One - Once upon a time... In Nazi-occupied France[]
Perrier LaPadite is first seen using an axe on a tree stump blemishing his property. However, simply by sight, it is unsure if he has been at this stump for the last year, or just started that day. His daughter, Julie, is seen hanging their sheets. She hears and then notices a Nazi car with two motorcycles coming and alerts her father. Perrier sees the vehicles and stops chopping the stump and embeds his axe into it. He then looks over his shoulder and watches the Germans approaching. He asks his other two daughters, who just came out, to go back inside and asks Julie to get him some water to wash himself. He pulls a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe the sweat from his face, and waits for the Nazi convoy to arrive. After Julie has the water ready, he orders her into the house, shouting 'Don't run!' when her pace quickens.
After he washes himself, he greets Colonel Hans Landa. The Colonel asks for permission to enter his house, and LaPadite welcomes him inside. After Landa sees his daughters, LaPadite welcomes the Colonel to sit at the table. He asks Suzanne to give him some wine, but Landa declines and instead asks for milk. LaPadite asks Julie to close the window. Charlotte's eyes look at the floorboards and quickly up at LaPadite who is looking at her sternly. The Colonel thanks them for the milk after drinking it and invites LaPadite to the table for a private conversation. LaPadite then asks Charlotte to take the girls outside. Inside, Landa asks LaPadite permission to switch to English. LaPadite confides in Landa confusion as to why the visit, as it's not the first time the Germans have searched his home (the first time to no avail) Landa explains it is routine to repeat efforts, meaningless or otherwise, under new management. LaPadite, starting to feel nervous, requests the Colonel's permission to smoke his own pipe. The Colonel acquiesces, as it is LaPadite's house. Landa then asks him if he has heard anything about the Dreyfuses, to which LaPadite tells him "Only rumours" and that the Dreyfuses have fled to Spain. Landa runs down his list of names and ages of the family members as LaPadite confirms each member.
After gathering the information, Landa asks LaPadite for another glass of milk before he leaves. As LaPadite pours him one, Landa questions LaPadite about his knowledge of the Colonel's reputation, or the "nickname" (The Jew Hunter) the people of France had given him. Despite LaPadite's initial protests, he finally acknowledges the moniker. Landa then proceeds to his appreciation for his "unofficial title", why he was put in charge of the hunt for the Jews. Landa muses about the hunter-predator relationships between Germans and Jewish people, likening them to beasts. After a lengthy explanation, Landa discreetly gives LaPadite the warning that he is fully aware of what human beings are capable of once they abandon their dignity, then asks LaPadite for permission to smoke his pipe as well to ease the tension.
As he smokes his pipe, Landa informs LaPadite that his job requires him to perform a thorough search of his property and any irregularities he's attempting to hide will be discovered. He adds that anything LaPadite might provide to expedite the search would be rewarded, namely the German occupation will cross the property off their list and leave the family alone. After Landa shares this, his initial friendly facade dissipates, now only giving LaPadite a prolonged stare, emotionless save for visible aggression. He finally opens his mouth to say, "You are sheltering enemies of the state, are you not?" Knowing he can no longer hide the truth, LaPadite breaks and tearfully answers "yes". Landa orders him to point out their hiding areas and LaPadite is powerless to refuse. Landa orders LaPadite to follow his act and pretend to be leaving the house while actually beckoning his soldiers to storm in and open fire at the floorboards. As the Dreyfusses meet their end, one survivor, Shosanna, manages to flee.
LaPadite is not seen afterwards. It's implied that Landa kept his end of the bargain and left his family alone.
Personality[]
LaPadite appears to be highly empathetic with the ordeal the Jewish people were going through under Nazi's oppression, as displayed by his assistance with the hiding of the Dreyfus family, and also when he lied to Hans Landa by telling him that the Dreyfuses had escaped and made their way into Spain.
Like most of the people in the world, LaPadite has no love for the Nazis as shown through his irritations with the presence of Hans Landa in his house, particularly when Landa questioned his knowledge about the nickname "The Jew Hunter". LaPadite also displayed a certain level of courage, even though he was clearly nervous and sighing a lot when Landa began asking about the Jewish families in the area
LaPadite's character was also portrayed in a way that the viewers can see clearly that he was only as human as anybody. When LaPadite realized he could no longer lie for the Dreyfus because Landa threatened him with the safety of his family, LaPadite burst into tears and complied with the Colonel's subsequent orders. This shows that LaPadite is a caring and loving father and will do anything for his daughters, even if it cost him dignity. While only a minor character, LaPadite has served as a means to display Hans Landa's prowess and fearsome charisma, while his abandonment of dignity set off the events that would eventually led to Shosanna's vengeance, and the death of Hitler as the result.
Trivia[]
- LaPadite's pointless attempt to chop the wood stub from the beginning of the film, foreshadows his failed attempt to hide the Dreyfuses from Landa.
- It is interesting to see that Monsieur LaPadite've never told in words where it was hidden Jewish family, nodding to each question of Colonel Landa ... is not accidental then the similarity between the name LaPadite and "l'a pas dit" (from French, literally, "did not say")
Behind the scenes[]
Perrier LaPadite was played by Denis Ménochet.
Denis Ménochet was the first person to audition for the role.
Jean Reno was previously offered role of Perrier LaPadite, but he turned it down. Vincent Lindon revealed in 2017 that he too declined the role.
Gallery[]
