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24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
C'est Magnifique!, May 31, 2002
The first foreign language film I ever saw was "That Man From Rio" and it was a great way to start. I went because it had been billed as being in the style of Hitchcock's "North By Northwest". There are superficial similarities, but the French film is more than capable of being judged on its own merits - of which there are many. It certainly has its tongue farther in its cheek than Hitch ever managed.A great deal of the film's success is due to the charisma and sheer star quality of Jean-Paul Belmondo, then in his prime and thoroughly enjoying himself. He seems to be constantly on the move - running, jumping, climbing, fighting - pausing only to deliver a droll line of dialogue or two or to share a kiss with the delectable Francois Dorleac (sister of Catherine Deneuve and, in my opinion, far sexier). The plot - some nonsense about lost treasure - begins in Paris, then takes a rollercoaster ride to Rio, the eerie cityscape of (then new) Brasilia, and on into the Amazon jungle. Cliche after cliche is employed and parodied - and done as well or better than in the subsequent Bond films. Through it all, Belmondo is the perfect comic book hero - dirty, confused, bloodied, but never out of breath and always triumphant. After going for too many years without seeing this film, I was delighted to finally find it on video. And equally pleased to confirm that it has lost none of its fun or charm. In fact, in many ways, it seems considerably less dated than many American or British films from the same period. This may be because director Philippe de Broca, while very inventive, does not overdo all the sixties camera tricks and artsy techniques so fashionable in that decade. "That Man From Rio" is a joy to watch and still one of the best comedy/thrillers ever made. I cannot praise Belmondo or de Broca enough. And I can only lament that Francois Dorleac's career was cut so tragically short.
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