The French comedy / crime film "Le Grand Blond avec une
chaussure noire" was released on 6 December 1972 in France. The
film was directed by Yves Robert and written by Francis Veber. Main
stars are Pierre Richard as the pianist François Perrin, Jean
Rochefort as Colonel Louis Toulouse, Bernard Blier as Colonel Bernard
Milan and Mireille Darc as Christine. The music was composed by
Vladimir Cosma. In 1974 a sequel, "Le Retour du Grand Blond",
was released. An American remake with Tom Hanks, "The Man with
One Red Shoe", was made in 1985.
Synopsis
Colonel Bernard Milan (Bernard Blier)
is the second-in-command of France's Counter-Espionage department. He
plans to discredit his chief Colonel Louis Toulouse (Jean Rochefort)
so that he can replace him. Toulouse himself suspects Milan so he
hatches a plot to deal with him making him believe he contacted a
master spy who will expose Milan's treachery. However the master spy
is a random person wearing one brown and one black shoe, François
Perrin (Pierre Richard) at the airport...
Pierre Richard as François Perrin
Jean Rochefort as Colonel Louis
Toulouse
Mireille Darc as Christine
Bernard Blier as Colonel Bernard Milan
Main cast
Pierre Richard as François Perrin
Bernard Blier as Colonel Bernard Milan
Jean Rochefort as Colonel Louis
Toulouse
Mireille Darc as Christine
Tania Balachova as The mother of Louis
Toulouse
Jean Carmet as Maurice Lefebvre
Colette Castel as Paulette Lefebvre
Paul Le Person as Perrache
Jean Obé as Botrel
Robert Castel as Georghiu
Jean Saudray as Poucet
Roger Caccia as Mr. Boudart
Arlette Balkis as Mrs. Boudart
Robert Dalban as The False Deliveryman
Jean Bouise as The Minister
Pierre Richard as François Perrin and Mireille Darc as Christine
Jean Rochefort as Colonel Louis
Toulouse and Paul Le Person as Perrache
Jean Carmet as Maurice Lefebvre and Bernard Blier as Colonel Bernard Milan
Mireille Darc as Christine
Awards
Siver Bear for Yves Robert at the
Berlin International Film Festival, Germany, 1973
Golden Screen, Germany, 1976
NBR Award Top Foreign Films at the
National Board of Review, USA, 1973
The French comedy / crime
film "Fantômas contre Scotland Yard" premiered
on 16 March 1967 in France. The film
was directed by André Hunebelle and written by Jean Halain and
Pierre Foucaud, based on the novels by Pierre Souvestre and Marcel
Allain. Main stars are Jean Marais in the double role as Fantômas
and Fandor, Louis de Funès as Le commissaire Juve and Mylène
Demongeot as Hélène Gurn. The music was composed by Michel Magne.
This is the third and final episode of the Fantômas trilogy after
"Fantômas"
(1964) and "Fantômas se déchaîne"
(1965).
Synopsis
Fantômas (Jean Marais) imposes a head
tax on the rich, threatening to kill those who do not comply.
Journalist Fandor (Jean Marais), his fiancée Hélène (Mylène
Demongeot) and commissaire Juve (Louis de Funès) are invited to
Scotland by Lord McRashley (Jean-Roger Caussimon)...
Jean Marais as Fandor, Louis de Funès as Commissaire Juve
and Mylène Demongeot as Hélène Gurn
Jean Marais as Fandor and Louis de Funès as Commissaire Juve
Jean Marais as Fantômas
Main cast
Jean Marais as Fantômas / Fandor
Louis de Funès as Le commissaire Juve
Mylène Demongeot as Hélène Gurn
Françoise Christophe as Lady Dorothy
MacRashley
Jean-Roger Caussimon as Lord Edward
MacRashley
Robert Dalban as Le directeur du
journal
Louis de Funès as Commissaire Juve, Françoise Christophe as Lady Dorothy
MacRashley,
Jean Marais as Fandor and Mylène Demongeot as Hélène Gurn
Jean-Roger Caussimon as Lord Edward
MacRashley and
Louis de Funès as Commissaire Juve
Trivia
Only the opening scene was shot in
Scotland. The rest was shot between Château de Roquetaillade, near
Bordeaux, and Fontainebleau Forest.
Mylène Demongeot claimed that a fourth
episode called "Fantômas à Moscou" ( "Fantômas in
Moscow") was planned.
The French-Italian
comedy film "Le cerveau" was released on 7 March 1969 in
France. The film was directed Gérard Oury and written by Marcel
Jullian and Danièle Thompson. Main stars are Jean-Paul Belmondo and
Bourvil as two French scammers , David Niven as a British Army
Colonel who is also "The Brain" behind a criminal organisation
and Eli Wallach as a Italian mafioso. The music was composed by
Georges Delerue with songs by The American Breed and Caterina
Caselli.
Synopsis
Two French thieves,
Arthur (Jean-Paul Belmondo) and Anatole (Bourvil) plan to rob a train
transferring NATO funds from Paris to Brussels. Little do they know
that a criminal organisation led by "The Brain" (David Niven) has
the same intention...
Jean-Paul Belmondo
as Arthur Lespinasse and Bourvil as Anatole
David Niven as
Colonel Carol Matthews and
Eli Wallach as
Frankie Scannapieco
Jean-Paul Belmondo
as Arthur Lespinasse
Main cast
Jean-Paul Belmondo
as Arthur Lespinasse
Bourvil as Anatole
David Niven as
Colonel Carol Matthews
Eli Wallach as
Frankie Scannapieco
Silvia Monti as
Sofia
Raymond Gérôme as
Le commissaire bègue
Jacques Balutin as
L'inspecteur Pochet
Henri Attal as a
gang member
Yves Barsacq as a
prison warden
Jacques Ciron as
L'inspecteur Duboeuf
Robert Dalban as a
Belgian MP
Mario Davidas
Jean-François
Raoul Delfosse as
Belgian MP
Tommy Duggan as
superintendant Cummings
Jean-Paul Belmondo
as Arthur Lespinasse and Bourvil as Anatole
Silvia Monti as
Sofia and David Niven as
Colonel Carol Matthew
Jean-Paul Belmondo
as Arthur Lespinasse, David Niven as
Colonel Carol Matthews
and Bourvil as Anatole
Trivia
"Le cerveau"
was filmed in two languages (French and English) with the same cast.
The British comedy
film "The Fast Lady" was released in December 1962 in
London. The film was directed Ken Annakin with a screenplay by Henry
Blyth and Jack Davies, based on a story by Keble Howard. Main stars
are Leslie Phillips, Julie Christie, James Robertson Justice and
Stanley Baxter. "The Fast Lady" is a 1927 vintage Bentley 4½
Litre Red Label Speed model with Vanden Plas short chassis and
painted in British Racing Green.
Synopsis
Murdoch Troon
(Stanley Baxter) is a member of the local cycling club. He meets
Claire Chingford (Julie Christie) after an accident with her father
Charles Chingford (James Robertson Justice). Claire persuades him to
buy a sports car, and learn to drive...
Julie Christie as
Claire Chingford and Stanley Baxter as
Murdoch Troon
James Robertson
Justice as Charles Chingford and Julie Christie as
Claire Chingford
Stanley Baxter as
Murdoch Troon and Leslie Phillips as
Freddie Fox
Stanley Baxter as
Murdoch Troon and James Robertson
Justice as Charles Chingford
Main cast
James Robertson
Justice as Charles Chingford
Leslie Phillips as
Freddie Fox
Stanley Baxter as
Murdoch Troon
Kathleen Harrison
as Mrs Staggers
Julie Christie as
Claire Chingford
Eric Barker as
Wentworth
Oliver Johnston as
Bulmer
Allan Cuthbertson
as Bodley
Stanley Baxter as
Murdoch Troon and Allan Cuthbertson
as Bodley
Julie Christie as
Claire Chingford with "The Fast Lady"
The French comedy
"Les Malheurs d'Alfred" ("The Troubles of Alfred")
premieres on 8 March 1972 in France. The film was directed and
co-written by the major star Pierre Richard. Other stars are Anny
Duperey, Pierre Mondy and Jean Carmet.
Synopsis
Alfred Dhumonttyé
(Pierre Richard), a young architect, has been unlucky since his
childhood. Everything he undertakes is doomed to fail. After another
fiasco, one evening Alfred decides to commit suicide by throwing
himself into the water in a canal in Paris. By an extraordinary
coincidence, the same day at the same time and place, Agathe Bodard
(Anny Duperey), a depressive television presenter, had the same
idea...
Anny Duperey as
Agathe Bodard and Pierre Mondy as
François Morel
Danielle Minazzoli
as Pauline and Pierre Richard as
Alfred Dhumonttyé
Pierre Mondy as
François Morel, Pierre Richard as
Alfred Dhumonttyé and
Anny Duperey as
Agathe Bodard
Main cast
Pierre Richard as
Alfred Dhumonttyé
Anny Duperey as
Agathe Bodard
Jean Carmet as Paul
Paul Préboist as
the peasant
Paul Le Person as
the policeman
Mario David as Kid
Barrantin
Francis Lax as
Boggy
Yves Robert as the
Parisian TV viewer
Robert Dalban as
Gustave
Marco Perrin as
Orlandi
Pierre Mondy as
François Morel
Evelyne Buyle as
Lucrèce
Danielle Minazzoli
as Pauline
Pierre Richard as
Alfred Dhumonttyé and Anny Duperey as
Agathe Bodard
The French
drama-comedy "L'Âge ingrat" ("That Tender Age")
premieres on 23 December 1964 in Marseille, France. Directed by
Gilles Grangier and written by Pascal Jardin and Claude Sautet, the
film unites two major stars of French cinema Jean Gabin and
Fernandel. Other stars are Marie Dubois and Fernandel's son Franck
Fernandel.
Synopsis
Antoine Lartigue
(Franck Fernandel) and Marie Malhouin (Marie Dubois), two young
students, have got secretly engaged. Antoine is the son of the
extravert Mediterranean pedal boat renter Adolphe Lartigue
(Fernandel) and Marie is the daughter of the introvert Paris railway
executive Émile Malhouin (Jean Gabin). To get to know each-other
better Antoine invites the Malhouin's to stay in his St. Tropez villa
during the summer holidays...
Marie Dubois as
Marie Malhouin and Franck Fernandel as
Antoine Lartigue
Fernandel as
Adolphe Lartigue, Jean Gabin as Émile
Malhouin,
Marie Dubois as
Marie Malhouin and Franck Fernandel as
Antoine Lartigue
Franck Fernandel as
Antoine Lartigue and Marie Dubois as
Marie Malhouin
Main cast
Marie Dubois as
Marie Malhouin
Paulette Dubost as
Françoise Malhouin
Madeleine Silvain
as Eliane Lartigue
Christine Simon as
Florence Malhouin
Nicole Valgran as
Sophie Malhouin
Andrée Brabant as
the woman on pedal boat
Yvonne Gamy as
Félicie
Claude Mann as
Charles-Edouard
Henri Rellys as M.
Corbidas
Jean Daniel
Franck David as
Henri Lartigue
Joël Monteilhet as
Jules Lartigue
Georges Rostan as
Max Lartigue
Noël Roquevert as
L'estivant récalcitrant
Franck Fernandel as
Antoine Lartigue
Jean Gabin as Émile
Malhouin
Fernandel as
Adolphe Lartigue
Jean Gabin as Émile
Malhouin and Marie Dubois as
Marie Malhouin
Jean Gabin as Émile
Malhouin and Fernandel as
Adolphe Lartigue
Jean Gabin as Émile
Malhouin and Fernandel as
Adolphe Lartigue
Trivia
The opening credits
are quite rare. All actresses are credited before the actors and the
two major stars, Fernandel and Gabin, are mentioned at the very end
of the credits.
The American
fantasy-comedy "Freaky Friday" premieres on December 17, 1976 in
Los Angeles. This Walt Disney
Production was directed by Gary Nelson and written by Mary Rodgers
based on her novel with the same title from 1972. The film stars
Barbara Harris as Ellen Andrews, Jodie Foster as her daughter
Annabel, and John Astin as her husband Bill.
Synopsis
Ellen Andrews
(Barbara Harris) and her daughter Annabel (Jodie Foster) constantly
quarrel. After a disagreement on Friday the 13th both
Annabel and Ellen wish they could switch places with the other for
just one day...
Main cast
Barbara Harris as
Mrs. Andrews / Annabel
Jodie Foster as
Annabel / Mrs. Andrews
John Astin as Mr.
Andrews
Patsy Kelly as Mrs.
Schmauss
Dick Van Patten as
Harold Jennings
Vicki Schreck as
Virginia
Sorrell Booke as
Mr. Dilk
Alan Oppenheimer as
Mr. Joffert
Ruth Buzzi as
Opposing Coach
Kaye Ballard as
Coach Betsy
Marc McClure as
Boris Harris
Marie Windsor as
Mrs. Murphy
Sparky Marcus as
Ben Andrews
Ceil Cabot as Miss
McGuirk
Brooke Mills as
Mrs. Gibbons
Jodie Foster as
Annabel / Mrs. Andrews
Barbara Harris as
Mrs. Andrews / Annabel
John Astin as Mr.
Andrews
Sparky Marcus as
Ben Andrews and Barbara Harris as
Mrs. Andrews / Annabel
Trivia
Barbara Harris and
Jodie Foster sang the title song "I'd Like to be You for a Day"
written en composed by Joel Hirschhorn and Al Kasha.
Jodie Foster as
Annabel / Mrs. Andrews
Barbara Harris as
Mrs. Andrews / Annabel
Marie Windsor as
Mrs. Murphy and Jodie Foster as
Annabel / Mrs. Andrews
Marc McClure as
Boris Harris and Barbara Harris as
Mrs. Andrews / Annabel
Awards
"Freaky Friday"
had three Golden Globe nominations:
Best Actress in a
Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical: Barbara Harris
Best Actress in a
Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical: Jodie Foster
Best Original Song
- Motion Picture: Joel Hirschhorn & Al Kasha, Song: "I'd
Like to Be You for a Day"
