The Political Undertones of A Monster in Paris (Bibo Bergeron, 2011)

Directed by Bibo Bergeron, the computer-animated film A Monster in Paris (2011) follows the story of Francoeur, a chemically mutated flea, as he explores the city of Paris, befriends Lucille and her two friends, and hides from the danger that is the fear of those who do not understand him. Set during the flooding of the Seine River (1910), Bergeron’s film carries various themes of love and friendship, though darker messages hide beneath the surface of this captivating Europe-set narrative. The antagonist of A Monster in Paris, Commissioner Victor Maynott, is an interesting character reminiscent of many political figures throughout history, which gives the film a deeper edge as it subtly explores government corruption and the greed of those in power. While this is not the focus of the film, the actions, or lack thereof, of the government affects the liberties and well-being of common citizens and vulnerable individuals. This blog explores the visual elements of the underlying political messages in A Monster in Paris, alongside the cultural, and historical references embedded in the film, which provide the story with its more subtle exploration of government corruption and the greed of those in power.  

A Monster in Paris starts in a theatre, the news of the day playing on a film reel as it is projected to the audience seated in the auditorium. The headlining news declares “The Eiffel Tower has Wet Feet”, as the report shows real video footage from 1910 showcasing the flooding of the Seine River at the time and, therefore, giving the audience a view of how people struggled to maneuver the flooded streets of Paris. As the main characters are being introduced, we meet Commissioner Maynott as he sits with Inspector Pate at the Rare Bird Cabaret, where they discuss the public’s outrage at the commissioner’s inaction regarding the river flooding. Maynott proclaims, “Water goes where water goes. Who do they think I am? Moses?” referencing the biblical figure who parted the Red Sea to make way for his people to cross as they fled from danger. This reference to miracles makes the flooding seem impossible to solve as Maynott makes no efforts to aid his fellow Parisians, a stark contrast to Inspector Pate as he lists the various resources and simple tasks Maynott could do in his power to assist his people. Maynott states, "what is most needed is a way to divert the people’s attention from the situation at hand… get their minds on something big while the headlines wash away.”

Fig. 1 - A Monster in Paris' Commissioner Victor Maynott.

As the story progresses, Maynott continues to take inaction regarding the flooding as the news spreads of the monster terrorizing Paris, diverting the public’s attention from the flooding and attempting to milk as much as he can out of the Monster to gain public favour as a hero. He proclaims, “Where you see catastrophe, I see opportunity… They need someone they can turn to, someone to believe in, a savior, a hero. In other words, they need me!” This dialogue, delivered as he stares into the mirror in his office rather than at the map with Pate, further deepens his narcissistic personality to the audience, as he sees and focuses only on himself and not the issues of his people and community (Fig. 1).   

Maynott’s goal is to gain political power and have the people see him as a hero they could lean on. Now that the eponymous “monster” has appeared, he delays the aid for the people being affected by the floods, stating that the reason he had not done anything sooner regarding the surplus of water was to be able to get rid of the monster by drowning it. All this for the sake of his image as he plans to run for office, which at the same time as the film was released, France was facing a series of national elections. Reminding the audience of this type of corruption for personal gain with upcoming elections in real-time serves to help audiences think before heading to their ballots and would compel the public to research their candidates. 

Fig. 2 - The universalism of Maynott as a political figure.

From early on in its history, animation as a medium, much like caricatures and theatre, has deep roots in political affairs. According to Eric Herhuth, “In nineteenth-century France, caricatures were commonly used to critique elite and political societies… it wasn’t until the beginning of the twentieth century that artists would transition from political caricaturists to animated filmmakers (Herhuth 2018, 171). This tactic of visual cartooning was especially evident during war times, with animated shorts such as The Ducktators (McCabe, 1942) and Commando Duck (King, 1944), intended to boost public morale and spread American war propaganda during World War II to the American people. Animation was being used as a way for the Government to communicate what it wanted from the people, but in a more recent computer-animated film like A Monster in Paris, we see how the people could turn this medium in their favour. At the time of the films’ release, the French presidential elections were around the corner and France was in a state of debate on their next political representative. The characterization of a political figure engrossed in their own goals and neglecting the needs of their people served, perhaps, to remind the French audience to be aware of who they are putting into office. The lack of political party mentions in the film only further deepens the implied political messages as it creates a sense of universalism to Maynott as a political figure. Indeed, the film’s incorporation of historical and cultural references of French history, alongside its exploration of animation as a medium for political expression, allows parallels to be drawn between Maynott’s politicised machinations and real-world political events (Fig. 2). A Monster in Paris ultimately prompts audiences to consider the broader implications of unchecked power, and through its depiction of Maynott, the importance of informed civic engagement.

**Article published: February 21, 2025**

References

“France in Focus - 2011: A Highly Political Year.” France 24 (January 4, 2011), available at: www.france24.com/en/20110104-politics-france-2012-election-sarkory-ump-socialist-party.

Herhuth, Eric. “13.” The Animation Studies Reader, Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2018, pp. 169–179. 

Biography

Aide Munoz is a graduating student at the University of Texas at Dallas, Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology. Her focus is on graphic design, but she enjoys analyzing and writing about different mediums, such as animation. Earlier versions of this text were developed with the help of Dr. Christine Veras and peers from the Animation Studies course.