Michel Blanc Movies
One of his country's most popular and prolific funnymen, French actor, comedian, writer, and director Michel Blanc has made a career out of turning the mundane into the sublime. Short, bald, and bearing unremarkable features, Blanc derives his charisma from his presence as a performer who is equally adept at portraying the extremes of comic excess or psychological drama, the latter of which he demonstrated with particular aplomb in Monsieur Hire.Born in Paris on June 16, 1952, Blanc did his secondary studies at the Pasteur school in Neuilly. It was there that he became acquainted with Josiane Balasko, Thierry Lhermitte, Christian Clavier, Gérard Jugnot, and Marie-Anne Chazel, with whom he would form the legendary comedy troupe Le Splendid. In addition to performing a number of shows, the group also collaborated onscreen, their most notable effort being the farce Les Bronzés (1978). The film and its sequel Les Bronzés Font du Ski (1979), proved to be hugely successful in France -- and were two of the country's most domestically profitable films to date.
Blanc broke into film in 1973 and had his first memorable role alongside fellow-Splendid Thierry Lhermitte in Bertrand Tavernier's 1975 period drama Que La Fête Commence.... He had film breakthrough in 1984 with his directorial debut, Marche a l'ombre, a light drama in which he starred as a man who is forced to deal with sudden unemployment. The film proved to be surprisingly popular in France, and Blanc's profile was further heightened two years later when director Bertrand Blier asked him to replace the recently deceased Patrick Dewaere to star opposite Gérard Depardieu in Tenue de Soirée. Blanc earned the Best Actor prize at Cannes for his portrayal of a nebbish husband who is seduced by a thuggish burglar (Depardieu).
The actor broke out of the comedy mold in 1989 when he was cast as the eponymous protagonist of Patrice Leconte's brilliant psychological drama Monsieur Hire. Blanc earned considerable praise for his portrayal of a lonely, withdrawn murder suspect, and he duly established himself as one of the relatively few comedic actors to make a successful transition to drama. After further work in a number of comedies, as well as collaborations with Claude Berri (Uranus, 1990), Peter Greenaway (Prospero's Books, 1991), and Blier (Merci, La Vie, 1991), Blanc returned to the director's chair in 1994 with Grosse Fatigue. A biting comedy about the French entertainment industry that also featured Blanc in the lead role of an emotionally exhausted actor, the film was a financial and critical success in France, and the actor-director earned a prize at that year's Cannes Festival for his original screenplay. As a director, he followed up Grosse Fatigue with a return to the arena of psychological drama with Mauvaise Passe (1999). The story concerned a down-on-his-luck expatriate Frenchman living in London -- who becomes caught up in the prostitution industry; it featured a strong cast that included Daniel Auteuil, Stuart Townsend, and Peter Mullan. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
- 2009
It marked a grotesque and unseemly incident that took the European press by storm: in 2004, a young French woman came forward and claimed to have been attacked by black and Arabic thugs who mistook her for a Jew. But after her story broke, no witnesses came forward to support her, and security cameras at the train station revealed no such attack; the woman later admitted that she had ripped her own clothes, drawn swastikas on her own stomach, and fabricated the entire story. With the drama Fille du Rer, acclaimed French writer-director André Téchiné presents a thinly veiled fictionalization of the same events. Emilie Dequenne stars as Jeanne, an unemployed girl who lives with her mother (Catherine Deneuve) in a Parisian suburb and spends the majority of her free time rollerblading. She has little knowledge of -- or interest in -- history or politics, and remains withdrawn, insular, and sullen, keeping the majority of her thoughts and observations to herself. Circumstances change just a bit when Jeanne enters a live-in relationship with a beefy, thuggish, wrestler boyfriend, Franck (Nicolas Duvauchelle) living in a dingy warehouse, but violence soon erupts between the two. Jeanne ultimately takes a job for an attorney-cum-ex-boyfriend of her mother's (Michel Blanc) whose involvement in Judaic causes and politically committed family prompt even greater feelings of alienation and isolation in Jeanne. When Franck's involvement in criminal activities comes to light and the police intervene, Jeanne perversely reasons that she can only become tied to history by inventing a role for herself, and decides to fabricate said story about the train -- little realizing the calamitous consequences that it will engender. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Émilie Dequenne, Catherine Deneuve, (more)
- 2008
With this high-concept, all-star French comedy (it features at least sixteen Gallic marquee names including Michel Blanc and Josiane Balasko), director Jean-Michel Ribes sets out to skewer the pretentiousness of the European art world. It's just a typical, ordinary day at a French art museum, but the cast of characters on display here finds the terrain anything but easy to navigate; they include a mother who literally becomes an art exhibit when her body is coated in plastic and put on display, a minister shocked to his core by artistic displays of sexual organs, a curator suffering from acute botanophobia, a stowaway who hides out in the principal art room, and many other idiosyncratic misfits. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michel Blanc, Simon Abkarian, (more)
- 2007
Adapted from the same José Giovanni story that spawned Jean-Pierre Melville's classic 1966 film of the same name, director/screenwriter Alain Corneau's nail-biting thriller stars Daniel Auteuil as iconic French gangster Gustav "Gu" Minda and Monica Bellucci as the smoldering Manouche -- whose love for the notorious criminal knows no bounds. As the 1950s draw to a close, vicious convict Gu stages a daring escape from the prison where he had been serving a life sentence. Though Gu longs to flee from the country with his longtime lover Manouche, he must first complete one last job that will secure him the finances to do so; but with every policeman in the country currently searching for Gu, it isn't going to be easy. Gu has the fortitude and know-how of the most experienced criminal, and despite the fact that his staged hold-up goes down like clockwork, the police looking to capture him prove craftier than he ever anticipated. Inspector Blot (Michel Blanc) knows that Gu isn't likely to make any mistakes while procuring his funds for flight, so instead of trying to catch him in the act, he hatches an ingenious scheme to create dissent within the criminal ranks of his target. Blot's plan is to make Gu's gang think that their leader is now a police informer, and everyone buys the ruse except for Manouche. The steely-nerved Manouche knows Gu well enough to realize that he would never agree to work with the cops. Later, as things start to fall apart, Manouche prepares to pay the ultimate price to defend her beloved Gu and clear his name once and for all. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Auteuil, Monica Bellucci, (more)
- 2006
Six of France's greatest screen comedians reunite in this long-awaited sequel to the classic box-office hits Les Bronzes and Les Bronzes Font du Ski. Skirt-chasing Popeye (Thierry Lhermitte) has settled down and married beautiful Graziella (Ornella Muti), and together they run an upscale resort hotel in Sardinia. However, Popeye still has his eye on the ladies rather than the bottom line -- he's carrying on with a beautiful young cook -- and Graziella warns him that he has to stop giving free rooms to his old friends. Unfortunately, this edict comes down just as Popeye's pals arrive, expecting a stay on the house. Jerome (Christian Clavier) was making a fortune as a plastic surgeon until a malpractice suit ended his career; now he hopes to reconnect with his former wife Gigi (Marie-Anne Chazel). However, when Gigi shows up it's clear she's also been seeing a plastic surgeon, and has brought along her new beau, upscale wig salesman Jean-Claude (Michel Blanc). And wealthy and smug Bernard (Gerard Jugnot) and Nathalie (Josiane Balasko) arrive with their dog in tow, though their vacation goes through a rough patch when Bernard makes a potentially disturbing discovery about their son. Les Bronzes 3: Amis Pour La Vie (aka Les Bronzes 3: Friends Forever) was directed by Patrice Leconte, who was also behind the camera for the original two films. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Josiane Balasko, Michel Blanc, (more)
- 2005
Michel Blanc stars as Aymé, a grumpy recently widowed farmer, in writer/actress Isabelle Mergault's directorial debut, the romantic comedy You Are So Handsome. When Aymé's work partner and wife dies suddenly in an unfortunate accident, he quickly realizes that he needs someone around to help him with the womanly half of the chores. An unsentimental sort, within days he's contacted a service to find him a new wife. This brings him to Romania, where he's introduced to a lot of much younger women, most of whom take the wrong tack, dressing skimpily and telling Aymé how handsome he is. Elena (Medeea Marinescu), a single mother, is as eager to move to France and make some money as the next girl, but she takes the time to assess the situation, puts on a sweater, and tells Aymé, in her charmingly broken French, how much she's always wanted to live on a farm and work with animals. Her strategy works, and Aymé decides to bring her back to France, but, embarrassed about what he's done, he comes up with a lame cover story to fool his best friend, Roland (Wladimir Yordanoff), and the rest of his neighbors. He tells them she's a distant relative who's visiting the farm as an "intern," and has Elena pretend that she speaks no French at all. Elena expects them to have a real marriage, and is disappointed when she realizes that Aymé just wants her to work. Eventually, Aymé realizes his feelings for Elena go deeper than expected, but by then, her frustration and homesickness are becoming too much to bear. You Are So Handsome was shown as part of The Film Society of Lincoln Center's Rendez-Vous with French Cinema in 2006. ~ Josh Ralske, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michel Blanc, Medeea Marinescu, (more)
- 2002
A group of friends and mutual acquaintances embark on a number of vacations -- concealed or otherwise -- for relaxation and unexpected romantic hijinks in French actor/director Michel Blanc's fourth directorial effort, the romantic ensemble comedy See How They Run. While hosting a dinner party, the well-to-do Elizabeth (Charlotte Rampling) and Bertrand Lannier (Jacques Dutronc) learn that their neighbors Veronique (Karin Viard) and Jerome (Denis Podalydes) -- who used to be successful but are currently hiding their financial woes -- will be vacationing in the same resort town at the same time. Impulsively, Elizabeth invites her friend, and fellow dinner party guest, Julie (Clotilde Courau), to join them and thus make a party out of the event. However, Bertrand backs out of the trip while claiming to have to work -- only to schedule a rendezvous with his lover, his transsexual secretary (Mickael Dolmen), instead. Meanwhile, the Lannier's teenaged daughter, Emilie (Lou Doillon), has been planning a parentally endorsed vacation to the United States with one of her friends, but is in actuality going on a romantic retreat with one of her father's employees, Kevin (Sami Bouajila). As the separate excursions commence, a number of romantic couplings spring up -- as well as a number of new friendships -- that will have long-lasting effects on all of the vacationers' lives. See How They Run received the honor of being selected for inclusion into the 2002 Montreal World Film Festival. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlotte Rampling, Jacques Dutronc, (more)
- 1999
Writer-director Michel Blanc, whose previous works include the acclaimed Marche a l'ombre (1984) and Dead Tired (1994), creates this gritty drama about a middle-aged impoverished French writer in London who becomes a gigolo. The film opens with Pierre (Daniel Auteuil) getting worked over by an irate pimp because he didn't pay for a hooker's drink. Rakish Irishman Tom (Stuart Townsend) offers to drive bloodied Pierre back to his seedy hotel. The following day, he stumbles upon Tom's sandwich bar and begs for a job. Though he describes himself as a dead-broke author working on a novel, Pierre is concealing secrets from his dark past. Later, during a party populated with well-turned out lesbians, Tom reveals that he moonlights as a gigolo and suggests that Pierre might try the same. Soon Pierre is making easy money at the same agency where Tom works. Things get complicated for our Gallic protagonist when he falls for a golden-hearted streetwalker with a psychotic ex-boyfriend and one of his married regulars falls for him. Told with wry wit and gritty honesty, this film explores London's dark sexual netherworld. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Auteuil, Stuart Townsend, (more)
- 1996
Three old French jamons attempt to make a comeback by working in a road-show production of Scoubidou in this hilarious French farce. Also on the tour are the flighty leading actress Carla Milo, and a murderous producer, Shapiron, who knows the show is a stinker and tries to convince Carla to feign an illness so they can collect the show's insurance money. Unfortunately, Carla would never dream of letting down her "fans" and so refuses. The three hams, meanwhile do not get along at all. Victor suffers great swings, he is either terrified of the crowd or grossly overacting while evil-tempered Georges is only in it for the money. Then there's Eddie, who thinks of himself as a Casanova and adores the notion of a little behind-the-scenes romance. When the desperate Shapiron decides to use physical force to get Carla to quit, the three has-beens rally 'round to protect her. This happens during a performance, much to the delight of the audience. Soon the show becomes a huge success and is slated to play on Broadway where the silliness intensifies because none of the actors can really speak English. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Pierre Marielle, Philippe Noiret, (more)
- 1993
In this erstwhile comedy, Penelope (Isabelle Adjani) is already sufficiently unsettled by the fact that she is no longer a top model, and must cast around for another occupation. When her boyfriend leaves her, she becomes quite hysterical, conjuring up schemes for revenge, contemplating suicide, and so on. These dramatics eventually exasperate her best friend Sophie (Clementine Celarie) so much that she contemplates killing Penelope, her ex-boyfriend, or the two of them together, just to stop the whining. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Isabelle Adjani, Clémentine Célarié, (more)
- 1991
In this frequently surrealistic romp, a satire on sex, politics, and the business of filmmaking, two young women get together after discovering sufficient provocations in their lives to deliberately set out to wreak havoc in the world around them. Joelle (Anouk Grinberg) has just been thrown out of a moving car by her abusive man-friend, when Camille (Charlotte Gainsbourg) encounters her. Joelle's bitter exclamation Merci la Vie, or "thank you, life" echoes something of Camille's feelings, and the two decide to go on a rampage, picking up and seducing numerous men and then doing things like destroying their cars. Eventually, they set their sights on a "higher" goal and decide to do in an entire town. Meanwhile, it becomes evident that a sinister medical researcher, Dr. Worms (Gérard Depardieu), has infected promiscuous Joelle with a sexually transmitted disease he invented for the sole purpose of becoming the man who finds its cure, which he hopes will make him beloved, famous and rich. At some point, an elaborate series of flashbacks enter the story, and in one sequence, Camille attempts to persuade her feuding parents to get back together long enough to conceive her. Reviewers noted that logic is not a strong point in this film, but they found its fast pace and bright performances vastly entertaining. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlotte Gainsbourg, Anouk Grinberg, (more)
- 1989
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
- Starring:
- Michel Blanc, Jacqueline Maillan, (more)
- 1988
Bayard (Remi Martin) is a lowly squire who joins the army of King Charles (Patrick Timsit) after he is rejected by the noblewoman Blanche de Savoie (Anne-Gisel Glass). Bellabre (Gerard Jugnot) is the army captain who trains Bayard for the proposed invasion of Naples. Bayard returns a conquering hero to win the heart of Blanche, who defies the newly crowned King Louis XII (Martin Lamotte) and the Machiavellian Scottomayor (Roland Giraud) to marry her heroic soldier. Sight gags and parodies abound in this comedy that contains some of the grim humor of Monte Python And The Holy Grail. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gérard Jugnot, Remi Martin, (more)
Menage begins as a comedy of sorts, but be warned: it develops into a very dark, very confusing probe into the seamier aspects of Parisian life. Gerard Depardieu plays a crude but charismatic thief, whose own gayness does not prevent his commiserating with those of the opposite sex. Miou-Miou and Michel Blanc are young, impoverished lovers who fall under Depardieu's influence. He gains their confidence by introducing them to kinky sex, then sucks them into a vortex of crime. Director Bertrand Blier, who in most of his films has explored the awesome power (rather than pleasure) of sex, nearly outdoes himself in Menage (aka Tenue de Soiree). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gérard Depardieu, Michel Blanc, (more)
- 1986
Francis Veber directs this hilarious comedy about Francois (Pierre Richard), a desperate, novice, bumbling bank robber who takes an ex-con hostage during his attempted hold-up. They are both chased by the police. Jean (Gerard Depardieu) plays the convicted bank robber just released from jail and forced to escape with Francois. Anais Bret portrays Francois' 6-year-old autistic daughter, and is the reason why he needed money so badly that he would steal for it. An inventive series of farcical situations and witty dialogue keeps the two men moving one step and several missteps ahead of the police. This comedy was so successful that Veber repeated it in 1989 for English-speaking audiences as Three Fugitives, starring Nick Nolte and Martin Short. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pierre Richard, Gérard Depardieu, (more)
- 1984
The film tells the tale of the adolescent son of two wealthy socialites who have left him home alone while they go out on the town. At home, the boy begins a series of wild daydreams. He finds himself aboard an elevator that takes him through the Earth and onto another planet. There he finds the "Nautilus," Captain Nemo's submarine. He also finds Nemo's ape/man assistant. Together they begin a series of spectacular adventures. They encounter many storybook characters along the way. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Seth Kibel, Jason Connery, (more)
- 1984
In this standard, light drama about two friends adjusting to change, François (Gérard Lanvin) and his side-kick Denis (Michel Blanc) come back to Paris from the Mediterranean only to find that the jobs they had been promised are illusory -- now they must survive however they can. The two go to live among some African squatters, and since they cannot get a legitimate job, they get an illegal one -- transporting stolen goods. Even that proves to be short-lived once they are caught, and so they make plans to go to New York and look for Mathilde (Sophie Duez), the dancer who has captured François's heart. Although the storyline is weak and the protagonists' friendship uncharted territory, this film is entertaining and did quite well when first released in France. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gérard Lanvin, Michel Blanc, (more)
- 1983
In a comedy that is dead-in-the-water, a disconnected series of events serves as a framework for Jerry Lewis to put on his stock-in-trade mugging act. He plays a Las Vegas policeman visiting his ex-wife in France, only to be caught up in the shenanigans of a group of art thieves. His ex-wife has remarried and her husband is undercover among the art thieves, carrying out an assignment given him by his superiors in the police force. Inevitably, the current husband and the ex-husband are bound to clash. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jerry Lewis, Michel Blanc, (more)
- 1983
This routine farce is about a lowly police inspector who falls for a sophisticated woman, unaware that she is involved in fencing stolen art. He pursues her with undying diligence until they finally get together -- but by that time they are on the wrong side of the law and in trouble. As usual with director Patrice Leconte, Michel Blanc plays the lead. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jane Birkin, Michel Blanc, (more)
- 1983
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
- Starring:
- Christian Clavier, Michel Galabru, (more)
- 1982
Three workers in a social services office on Christmas Eve find themselves the center of a vortex of rag-tag humanity that all need their professional help, and more. Their visit from Santa Claus does not involve a trip down a chimney, but a walk-in by a somewhat derelict, irascible St. Nick hunting for the unfortunate Mrs. Nick, whose girth is wider than her husband's because she's carrying the future little Nick or Nicola -- she also has a sack, given that she is a bag lady, and she herself is in need of an orthodontist. This unusual couple is complemented by other characters in need of assistance, including a woefully abject transvestite and one character who no longer needs assistance because corpses are pretty much beyond help. Events conspire to bring everyone to the zoo, a fitting place for the cast of eccentrics, social workers not excluded. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Josiane Balasko, Anémone, (more)
- 1981
Based on a successful cabaret theater play, Come to my Place, I'm Living with my Girlfriend features Guy (Michel Blanc) as a carefree and morally challenged gas station attendant suddenly in need of a place to live. It seems his boss caught him trying to cheat his customers, and Guy was thrown out on his ear. He saves the day for himself by wheedling his way into the good graces of two friends, Daniel (Bernard Girardeau) and Francoise (Therese Liotard), a young couple who are easy-going and willing to share their apartment with him "for a few days." The "few days" turn into week after week, as Guy connives to stretch out his good fortune as far as he can. Acting as though his welcome will never wear out, he further strains the relationship with Francoise and Daniel by entertaining a series of girlfriends - for whom he has an undying passion. His antics begin to short-circuit the happy relationship that Daniel and Francoise have always enjoyed, and sooner or later, the problem of "Guy" will have to be resolved before fuses are blown for good. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bernard Giraudeau, Michel Blanc, (more)
- 1981
Two single, quiet, and physically plain neighbors in an apartment building meet each other and strike up a friendship - something they both had needed for a long time. As their relationship begins to convert into a romantic pairing, the two go ahead and become lovers. Although that seemed to be the ultimate expression of their feelings, the couple start to question whether or not they were happier sharing their original, unfettered friendship -- and reconsider their options. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michel Blanc, Anémone, (more)
