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Le Coup du parapluie
1980 Comedy / Crime
Review
Le Coup de parapluie reunites Gérard Oury
– the director responsible for some of the best-loved comic films made in France – and
Pierre Richard – arguably the funniest French comic film actor – with predictably hilarious
results. It is the second time the two men worked together; previously they collaborated
on La
Carapate (1978). This second Oury-Richard extravaganza is a hilarious,
and well-constructed parody of a spy thriller, complete with gangster hitmen (who
all come to a very sticky end), stunning set-piece action sequences and a real Bond villain:
Gert Froebe (better known as "Goldfinger"). Whilst the spoof isn’t overly original, and
the plot is a tad complicated, the comedy barely flags for a moment. With so many
brilliant visual jokes, excruciatingly funny one-liners and a tour-de-force comic performance
from Pierre Richard, this has to be one of Oury’s most exuberant and entertaining films.
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Director:
Gérard Oury
Starring: Pierre Richard, Valérie Mairesse, Christine Murillo, Gordon Mitchell, Gérard Jugnot Synopsis
Small-time actor Grégoire Lecomte thinks he has landed a starring role in a film,
in which he is to play a hired killer. In fact there has been a slight misunderstanding.
Wandering into the wrong office, he was given a “contract” – not by a film producer, but
by a mafia chief. Whilst Grégoire heads off for the South of France, to “execute”
his mission, accompanied by his latest amorous conquest, Bunny, the real hired assassin
is hot on his heels. Grégoire doesn’t realise that the umbrella he has been
given “for his role” is the assassination weapon – it is tipped with a poison-injecting
syringe. Nor does he realise that Josyane, his previous girlfriend, has checked
into his hotel, and is intent on revenge. It’s going to be a high body count before
Grégoire finally realises what is really going on…
Credits
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