Marcel Jullian Movies
- 1993
In this crime comedy, Urbain (Christian Clavier) only got married because his wife blackmailed him into it: she was a tax fraud investigator. Since she's divorcing him, and will be entitled to a share of his prefabricated housing business, he's been skimming as much money as he can from it. The business will probably be bankrupt when the divorce goes through, but what does he care? He's got oodles of gold stashed in the walls of a model home mounted on a trailer. He and his beloved and similarly avaricious grandmother (Tsilla Chelton) plan to smuggle them in to Switzerland. Meanwhile, his soon-to-be ex-wife (Catherine Jacob) and his former chauffeur (Philippe Khorsand), who have been lovers for a long time, get wind of the scheme and take up the chase. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christian Clavier, Tsila Chelton, (more)
- 1971
This French farce/drama takes place in Ireland in 1916, during one of the peak periods of revolutionary violence. Seven Irish revolutionaries have taken over a post office, totally evacuating the building. Or so they think. They missed Gertie Gertel, who was in the bathroom at the time. By the time she is discovered, they are sufficiently besieged that for her own safety, she must stay with them. Gertie, it turns out, is about as pro-British as it is possible to be, and the seven take it on themselves, in the midst of battles and gunfights, to win her over to their cause. While they are at it, they set out to woo her, as well. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
This French historical comedy/farce, loosely based on Victor Hugo's play Ruy Blas, benefits greatly from having Louis De Funes and Yves Montand in the roles of Saluste and Blaze. Saluste is a nobleman who has been exiled from court and sent to collect taxes in the countryside. Blaze is his assistant, who manages to help the overtaxed peasants behind his boss's back. When Saluste decides to resume meddling in the monarch's affairs using Blaze as his henchman, his schemes backfire badly. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louis de Funès, Yves Montand, (more)
- 1970
Leon (Bourvil) is the owner of a cafe in a small town in occupied France in this comedic war story. Like most French of the time, he tries to get along with the German invaders. When his daughter (Sara Franchetti) brings home a downed British aviator, Leon becomes involved by helping the man escape to England. Through a strange turn of events, he accompanies the pilot back to Britain. Leon is thought to be a spy at first, but soon he is trained by British intelligence to help the Allied cause back in France. This was one of the last films for Bourvil, the beloved French comedian who often played the common man caught up in circumstances beyond his control. Terry-Thomas plays a British captain with typical flair. The color process is not credited. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bourvil, Sophie Desmarets, (more)
- 1969
The Brain (Le Cerveau) is a tongue-in-cheek caper film with more twists and turns than a rural Oregon highway. David Niven plays The Brain, so named because it was he who mapped out the British Great Train Robbery (it says here). Now The Brain plans to lift a fortune in NATO money, which is being shipped by train from France to Belgium. Complicating matters are a pair of free-lance thugs (Jean-Paul Belmondo and Bourvil), who hope to steal The Brain's plans and claim the money for themselves. A plot device derived from The Lavender Hill Mob involves a 50-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty. An amusing closing-credits bit caps this exhilarating exercise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bourvil, David Niven, (more)
- 1968
Louve (Daniele Gaubert) is an accomplished cat burglar on the prowl for a new partner in crime. When she can find no one to share in her criminal adventures, the former acrobat uses her talents to walk on wires, scale walls and pull off a heist at the home of some wealthy patrons busily engaged in social snobbery. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniele Gaubert, Michel Duchaussoy, (more)
- 1966
In this British war comedy, set in WW II, a bomber crew is shot down over Paris during the Nazi occupation. They are helped out of the city by several good-hearted Frenchman. They make it to the steambath where they had an important rendezvous. They then begin the final part of their escape. A cross-eyed German inadvertently helps them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louis de Funès, Bourvil, (more)
- 1965
In this French comedy, a clever fellow proves himself smarter than the gangsters who would exploit him. The trouble begins in Paris when the vacationing hero accidentally gets into an auto accident with a smuggler. The crook is most apologetic for the mishap and kindly offers to let him drive his Cadillac to Bordeaux and continue with his holiday. The poor traveler doesn't know that the vehicle is a black market on wheels carrying everything from jewels to heroine. He is pursued by the smuggler and by a rival gang. He is so busy enjoying himself that he doesn't bother to look back at the gun battles raging behind him. He ends up picking up two hitchhiking women and continuing his leisurely journey. When he finally realizes that they are using him, he drives the crooks right to the police station. Later he discovers that the steering wheel of the car contains the largest diamond in the world. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louis de Funès, Bourvil, (more)
- 1963
- NR
Before Greed in the Sun was released to the States by way of MGM, this French/Italian co-production had made the European rounds under the titles 100,000 Dollars au Soleil and Centomilia Dollare al Sol. As any good linguist can gather, the catalyst for this action melodrama is 100,000 dollars---actually 100,000 dollars worth of guns and ammunition, unknowingly transported to African insurrectionists by truck driver Reginald Kernan. Fellow trucker Jean-Paul Belmondo teams with his girlfriend Andrea Parisy to hijack the shipment. Gert Frobe, head of the trucking company, offers Kernan a large reward for the return of the truck and its contents. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Paul Belmondo, Lino Ventura, (more)
