Jacqueline Maillan Movies

A bevy of beautiful strippers team up with a handful of risqué comedians in this feature that documents a typical burlesque show from 1953. Filmed at the Follies Theater in Los Angeles, CA, Peek-a-Boo includes pulse-quickening dance numbers from Venus (billed as "the World's Most Exciting Body"), Virginia Valentine, Suzette, Jennie Lee, and Sherry Winters, with additional routines from the DuPonts and the glamorous hoofers of the Peek-a-Boo Lovlies. Funnymen Leon DeVoe, Jack Mann, Billy Foster, and Johnny Maloney deliver the laughs, and Pat O'Shea's vocals add some class to the proceedings. While a bit more daring in its humor than most of its brethren and willing to let its dancers briefly go without pasties, Peek-a-Boo did undergo a brief bit of prerelease censorship that removed the punch line from a comedy routine, which still appears in bowdlerized form on all existing prints. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this light comedy, Jean-Marc Thibault plays Marc, a motorcycle cop who has the usual load of problems, including the bureaucracy he has to deal with now and again. But among his biggest problems is his inept brother-in-law Roger (Roger Pierre) who also wants to join the force and be like Marc. In spite of their unlikely pairing, the two manage to successfully unhinge a ring of spies, plus pull off any number of impossible adventures. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In this drama, a Parisian vagabond decides to get himself arrested so he can spend the winter in a warm, cozy jail. Unfortunately his attempts fail until his pal shows him how to steal purebred dogs and then bring them back for a reward. He does well, and decides to winter in the Riviera, but first he must figure out how to keep from getting arrested since another "pal" has ratted on him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

When a girl falls for her younger brother's teacher, she attempts to capture his attention. She finds that a little male competition may be necessary in getting what she wants. This is a lesser-known romantic comedy from director Michel Boisrond -- the man partially responsible for the success of Brigit Bardot (Voulez-Vous Danser Avec Moi?, Une Parisienne and Cette Sacree Gamine ). ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

This French comedy journeys with Armand (Jean-Claude Brialy), a valet, as he tries to find an appropriate employer for his specialized skills. Alas, the rich are not what they used to be. His first employer's husband is jailed for embezzlement and she can no longer afford him; his second employer obsesses about her days as a leading opera star; his third is a nymphomaniac who is a little too interested in him; and the fourth is a government minister who works much too hard. Perhaps the renowned poet (Pierre Bertin), who wants to remain at home with his cats, will properly appreciate a good valet. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

In this uneven take-off on some reluctant resistance fighters in World War II, a family of musicians find themselves the unwilling hosts of a segment of the German High Command when their Paris mansion is taken over by the occupying forces. What happens next is a series of individual skits, cameo appearances, and zany interludes that are not necessarily as strung together as they are strung out. Characters include: Adolph Hitler's melodious half-brother whose singing style is hilariously close to that of Julio Iglesias, a "good" German officer, stereotypical of any of those found in post-World War II movies, and a woman who provides the comedy in a 1970s television talk show when she expounds on what really happened in the Paris villa back when. It is the acting which carries the day for this film, more than the actual script or cinematic development. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In this lifeless black comedy, Hermoine (Jacqueline Maillan) and Catarina (Alida Valli) are shocked to learn their late husband Alexandre (Jean-Pierre Aumont) was a bigamist. They combine forces to search for the hidden loot in a rambling French mansion and fend off a school of slimy, money-hungry lawyers. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Walter (Michel Blanc), the leader of a nudist colony, enlists the help of left-wing militant Henriette (Jacqueline Maillan) in this political satire. He feels he has been snubbed by the government when he mistakenly believes he should receive the Legion of Honor. The release of the film coincided with the elections in France, but none of the political issues of the time were reflected in the subject matter. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Marie has always been somewhat independent and is considered by some to be a bit of a tomboy. Though she is not quite a teenager, her photographer father has no qualms about leaving her alone for a while when he has to go off on an assignment. One day, while she is walking along, she gets run down by an automobile. The contrite woman driving that car sees to it that she is all right, and before long the two of them have become fast friends. Lilas, the driver, is a prostitute, and she discovers that she has a thing or two to teach the kid about femininity and men. Before long, the precocious youth is trying out her newfound powers of seduction on a family friend. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide