Robert Dalban Movies

The French My Other Husband (Attention! Une Femme Peut en Cacher une Autre) would eventually suffer the indignity of an American TV-movie remake, which will go unnamed here to protect the guilty. The original film is a sprightly vehicle for the delectable Miou-Miou. Thanks to her resourcefulness and spunk, Alice (Miou-Miou) manages to get two well-paying jobs in two separates cities. She also acquires two husbands, airline pilot Philippe (Roger Hanin) and school teacher Vincent (Eddy Mitchell), and three children unevenly distributed between them. Our Heroine is found out when Philippe's schedule is changed and he chances to meet Vincent. Both men accept the situation philosophically, but a frantic Alice feels an explanation is necessary. It is that explanation that provides the heart and soul of this irresistible little film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this French crime drama, two safe-crackers are breaking into a safe when they are caught in the act by a guard. One of the crooks kills the guard and flees leaving his partner behind. The abandoned accomplice is captured and convicted. One year passes before the convict is able to escape from prison and set out to exact his revenge. As he flees, he becomes friends with a gas station owner married to a gold-digging ex-hooker. When the wife learns that the hero is a fugitive she blackmails him into cracking her husband's safe. Unfortunately, they are captured by the owner who is killed in the ensuing scuffle by his wife. The fugitive hero then buries the body. He refuses to open the safe. As fate would have it, the fugitive's ex-partner happens upon the scene, but he too will not open the save. A short time later, the wife leaves. The partners then attempt to open it, but are surprised when the murderous wife returns with a shotgun. The fugitive's partner kills the girl, but as he tries to flee the police, his car careens into the gas pumps and explodes in a tremendous ball of fire. Fortunately, the hero escapes at the very last second. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Clerambard (Philippe Noiret) feeds his large family by killing cats and dogs. He also makes his family run hand looms with very little respite. His life forever changes when he sees Saint Francis. The Saint helps him prepare his horse as Clerambard suddenly goes out into the world to preach the gospel and reveal his newfound love of animals. This comedy is taken from the hit play by Marcel Ayme. Dany Carrel has an amusing role as the town prostitute. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

The greatest film that Alfred Hitchcock never made, Henri-Georges Clouzot's Diabolique is set in a provincial boarding school run by headmaster Michel Delasalle (Paul Meurisse). A ruthless lothario, he becomes the target of a murder plot concocted by his long-suffering invalid wife Christina (Vera Clouzot, the director's own spouse) and his latest mistress, an icy teacher played by Simone Signoret. A dark, dank thriller with a much-imitated "shock" ending, Diabolique is a masterpiece of Grand Guignol suspense. The simple murder plot goes haywire, and Michel's corpse disappears, prompting strange rumors of his reappearance which grow more and more substantial as the film careens wildly towards its breathless conclusion. Later remade as a greatly inferior 1996 Hollywood feature with Sharon Stone and Isabelle Adjani. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide

This movie is the first in a trilogy that parodied the popular silent Fantomas serials of director Louis Feuillade, which followed the adventures of the titular master criminal created by writers Pierre Souvestre and Marcel Allain. After a daring jewelry heist signed "Fantomas," police commissioner Juve (Louis de Funès) goes on national television claiming that Fantomas doesn't exist and that there is no reason for public concern. Riding the wave of public interest, journalist Fandor (Jean Marais) publishes a bogus interview with the master criminal. Fantomas (also played by Jean Marais) doesn't appreciate the joke and kidnaps Fandor to teach him a lesson. A master of disguise, he pulls an even more daring robbery wearing the Fandor mask. Comic relief is provided by commissioner Juve's awkward attempts to capture the elusive arch-criminal. ~ Yuri German, All Movie Guide

In the third installment of the parodic Fantomas series, the eponymous arch criminal imposes the "right-to-live" tax on the rich, threatening to kill those who dare not to pay. Journalist Fandor (Jean Marais) and commissioner Juve (Louis de Funès) are invited to the Scottish castle of Lord McRashley (Jean-Roger Caussimon), one of Fantomas' potential victims, who has decided to set a trap for the elusive fiend. ~ Yuri German, All Movie Guide

In this comedy, Pierre (Pierre Richard) is a timid cashier in a Parisian bank who has grown obsessed with getting to know a beautiful woman (Mimi Coutellier). Based on her stylishness, exquisite manner, and the places she frequents, he assumes she must be a movie star, a model, or an heiress. However, he can't even say "hello" without clamming up. None of the psychological treatments he has sought have been of any use to him. His therapist Aldo (Aldo Maccione) becomes his friend and volunteers to help him overcome his handicap. His increasingly frustrated friend drives around Paris with him, coaching him (unsuccessfully) at numerous potential encounter situations. Eventually he finds that the girl he has been following is named Agnes, and far from having come from a wealthy background, she was a clerk in a small shop who has been enjoying the proceeds from a prize. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Tunisia is a rough placed to be trapped in, especially if you are an Israeli spy (Jean-Pierre Marielle) on the run. Fortunately, the French embassy gives the ill-fated fellow a place to hide. Unfortunately, they can't smuggle him out, because there is an airline strike. Fortunately, he finds love and comfort with a young Frenchwoman (Mireille Darc) working at the embassy. Eventually, she convinces a French friend of hers (Michel Constantin) to help them escape. This comedy/spy movie is in French. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

This somewhat verbose, standard comic thriller involves one sharp gangster nicknamed Le Dabe (Jean Gabin) pitted against three others as they work on a counterfeiting operation. Le Dabe has just been cooling his heels in the hot tropics and has now resurfaced in France where he hooks up with the counterfeiting trio. Together, they print out millions in fake Dutch guilders, but along the way, the three friends scheme to double-cross Le Dabe as soon as their operation is completed. They obviously underestimate the man. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

The Daydreamer (Le Distrait) stars Pierre Richard (who also directed) as a stumblebum ad-agency employee. Unable to get by in the "real" world, he opts for his own fantasy world, in which everything goes right for him and he always gets the girl. After several blithe moments, the businessman manages to find success and romance for real. Filmed in 1970, The Daydreamer was released in the U.S. in 1975, after the success of the Pierre Richard comedy The Tall Blonde Man With One Black Shoe. The film was also released as Absent-Minded. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Septime (Louis De Funes) is the owner of a posh French restaurant in Paris who is afraid of his temperamental cooks but who takes his frustrations out on his other employees. When a visiting ambassador is kidnapped from the restaurant, Septime is accused of being an accomplice in the abduction. This sets the scene for some well-staged auto chases over snow-covered mountains. One car flips over but is able to make it down the mountain because skis are attached to the rooftop rack of the vehicle. De Funes adds his own flair of irascible, self-depreciating humor that is the highlight of this comedy spy adventure. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide