El monóculo negro

The castle of Villemaur is a tourist attraction. As the story begins, a guided visit is being conducted for some visitors. It is a well preserved building, but unknown to the casual eye, it harbors a Nazi war criminal that is trying to evade justice. The marquis of Villemaur gathers some former allies whose loyalties are with the evil force that caused so much harm during the war. Unknown to him, his own daughter is seeing a Russian, who is after one of the most sought after German.

Among the people that gather with the marquis, is Dromard, a man wearing a black monocle on his good eye. In fact Dromard has infiltrated the select group. He works closely with Commisaire Tourmire in their quest to apprehend this evil man. Dromard and his good friend Trochu will get involved in finding their man. Secret areas of the castle are perfect for the group in where to hide, but justice will prevail.

Georges Lautner directed the film, that seems to have been based on the character of Dromard, a suave detective-like man. Several films were based on the novels of Remy, adapted for the movies by Jacques Robert and Pierre Larroche. Paul Meurisse appears as the man with the monocle, as his disguise. Bertrand Blier is Tourmire. Jacques Marin, an actor whose presence appeared in many American films is good as Trochu. The lovely Elsa Andersen adds her beauty to the film.

A franchise which was probably the best spy thrillers France had to offer ;none of the Coplan,OSS 117 ,Vicomte and others can hold a candle to James Bond 007.

Yet ,the Monocle series -which is a trilogy-was something different ;it was some kind of forerunner of the spoofs on OSS 117 in which Jean Dujardin would shine .But unlike his character ,Le Monocle is very smart and ,unlike so many Froggies heroes of the two-bit spy thrillers of the sixties ,Paul Meurisse ("les diaboliques" "la vérité") gave his secret agent a strong personality : deadpan sense of humor,fin gourmet fond of caviar and champagne, and an artful devil .Two characters (Elga Andersen's and Robert Dalban's )appear in another movie of the trilogy

Lovely Andersen appears in this movie , joined by another blonde beauty of the French cinema ,Marie Dubois.

That said, this first installment is not the best of the trilogy ; the story is too complicated for comfort , and humor ,which came to the fore in both sequels (particularly "le monocle rit jaune" ,the craziest of the trilogy) does not always make up for it in this story of a neo-nazi circle including a survivor of the Hitlerian days ,considered their messiah.

The main interest of the movie is Paul Meurisse , who appears now and then with a glass eye, and whose excellent performance saves the movie from tedium; He is given some good lines , but not enough to sustain the interest throughout ; yet there's a good atmosphere , a Gothic castle and Wagner's music to boot .