15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A complete outrage!, June 7, 2004
I simply cannot believe that almost none of Louis de Funès' films are available with English subtitles! This, despite the extreme popularity of this actor in France, and in other countries where his movies have been translated such as Russia (where he is perhaps even more widely known than is Charlie Chaplin).
When I visited Russia two years ago, a quick check in the TV Guide showed three of his movies on in the next week, all superbly dubbed in Russian (whereas the English-speaking world is apparently too poor to afford even subtitling them!). I remember two of the movies that I saw that week; one was La Grande Vadrouille and the other one was L'Aile ou la Cuisse (this was actually my favourite one of the two, although I enjoyed them both).
After this, I tried for two years (back in Canada) to find the names of the movies or the actors that I had just seen, to no avail. When I finally found some information about L'Aile ou la Cuisse, the website stated apologetically that the movie is not available with English subtitles because the humour is "French humour" and "does not translate well into English humour".
So then, am I to believe that the humour is translatable into RUSSIAN, but not into ENGLISH?! What complete BS!
Anyways, I finally settled on ordering a copy of La Grande Vadrouille (unsubtitled) from the Toronto library and watching it with my limited understanding of French. I STILL enjoyed it, even though I didn't understand what the characters were saying 60% of the time. The movie is perfectly edited, and the actors all play their parts well (although de Funès is the best of them). De Funès plays the stereotypical arrogant orchestra conductor ("Very good, very good! ... I mean, very good for me, YOU are not quite so good" when talking to his orchestra) who mostly involuntarily helps some English pilots reach England again.
The movie follows the characters from one unlikely place to another in WW2 France, so that there is always adventure to keep you excited when watching the movie even when there is no humour... But there IS humour in the movie, and it is a very funny brand of humour. It something of a mix between Chaplin slapstick and the "sophisticated" humour that is predominating in French movies of today. As I said before, the whole film is perfectly edited, and the screenplay is simply brilliant- it features everything from chase scenes to sleuth operations to prison escapes. Also worth noting are some of the stunts seen in the film; they look pretty realistic. The ending, in particular, is very fun to watch; it is very original, to say the least.
Another facet worth mentioning is the orchestral score, which is mainly by Wagner fits the film very well. This movie is certainly not a realistic depiction of war, but it's such a good film that it's hard to find much else to complain about.
To sum it up, if you know some French and like good comedy, I strongly suggest that you see this movie if you can obtain a copy.
If you are NOT French-speaking, The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob is (I think) the only film of his that is currently available with English subtitles (it's out of print on Amazon.ca, so check Amazon.com). I haven't seen it myself, but the reviews of it are all positive.
P.S. if you don't think that it's fair that famous French comedians such as Louis de Funès are being given the snub in the English-speaking world, please write a review of one of his movies, or perhaps send a letter to a company that does international DVD releases (Kino International may be a possibility, although I'll admit that I'm completely clueless on these things). Perhaps somewhere, sometime, somebody will notice, and these great films will finally be available for those of us who do not speak French!
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A movie I have loved and will love forever., July 29, 2000
I watched this movie originally in China when I was a kid. It was translated into Chinese. People grew up with me can't say they don't know this movie. The language in the movie, the acting skill of the actors, and the story line are just perfect. I am so glad I eventually found it. I am not a movie goer, but this one is one of the very few that stays in my mind. It makes me wonder, why do we bother producing so many movies that will disappear in your mind right after you watched it, OK, almost I mean. I wish every movie was made to the level this movie is at. After all, this is the way movies are supposed to be, I mean to stay with you, not like a meal. Watch it, you can't excuse yourself from not doing this favor to yourself if you have watched so many other possibly 'worthless' ones. I have and I will watch it countless times.
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