La aventura es la aventura

Veteran film directors messieurs Claude Lelouch and Jean Pierre Mocky are absolutely unique in the field of French cinema.Both of them have created their own organizations to promote films which bear their trademark styles of cinema.Claude Lelouch has made his films with his production company "Les Films 13" which was founded in 1961.Jean Pierre Mocky screens his films at his own cinema "Le Brady".These two directors are also famous in France and outside of France as they have been unjustly ignored by French press which has always shown a certain kind of preference for American cinema.However,these two directors have been able to make good films entirely due to their fans' loyalty and for them film making is a never ending adventure.This is exactly the case with "L'aventure,C'est L'Aventure" /"The Adventure/It is the adventure" There is no denying that this film was a huge adventure both for Claude Lelouch and for his brilliant cast.Although the film was made in 1972, it is still very much relevant in 2010 as its entertainment value is cherished by everyone including those who lived through turbulent 1970s. "L'aventure,C'est L'Aventure" is a great entertaining film with an important message.It suggests that all criminals have to pay for their crimes regardless of all kinds of hilarious adventures they might experience in their reckless lives.In some ways it can be said that this film's rocking success is due to Claude Lelouch's deliberately omission of any kind of politically correct stance.Neither the director not the audiences fall into any kind of artistic trap as this film's message is clear and loud-to entertain masses at any cost.PS : Film critic Lalit Rao would like to thank a good friend Mr.Philippe Pham for having gifted a DVD of this film for detailed analysis.

I watched this movie in French without subtitles, and I have to admit that my French isn't up to such a challenge, so I missed much of the discussions which are quite crucial for understanding.

But from the visuals alone, this piece offers quite a lot - and what I liked most: the period cars. Fiat 500.. Renault Dauphine.. Citroen ID/DS.. that alone made me very happy :)

This movie is old, politically somewhat dated since the early 1970s, and not much commented on here. But it's not forgotten - according to French Wikipedia, Claude Lelouch announced in January 2007 that he will make a sequel to this, "L'aventure sera toujours l'aventure", to be released in 2009 or 2010.

"L'aventure, C'est L'aventure" (oddly titled "Money, Money, Money" in the US) is a strange film about five misfit career criminals. They all seem a bit dumb and ineffectual. However, when they band together and decide to try much higher stakes crimes, they inexplicably hit it big. So, instead of robbing their usual banks, they graduate to kidnappings and political intrigues. And, in spite of themselves, they always seem to land on their feet.

I watched this film for one main reason--Lino Ventura. And, in this regard, the movie was a huge disappointment. While Ventura might just be the coolest gangster in film history, here he is nothing like his usually self-assured persona but a bit of a bumbler hanging out with other bumblers. I certainly did NOT expect a comedy! However, after I got over this, I saw that the film, while a bit dopey here and there, is still very worth seeing. It is truly a strange but enjoyable film. Some of the laughs fall a bit flat but the film is so original and engaging that I was able to look past this.

I have seen this film a few times in the 50 years since its premiere. This time I just wanted to have a few laughs here and there because the funniest bits are classics and i know them by heart, but i was surprised to realize that the movie's cynicism has been so utterly overtaken by present-day politics that our 5 friends look today as a NGO. The music has dated tremendously and it makes the film look older than it is. I still enjoy the all around goofiness and Jacques Brel is not as bad as others reviews point out. Take it seriously at your own peril, but don't think is puerile either. Those guys wouldn't sell their mothers for power and impunity, like our dear politicians today. Maybe not.

Five lousy gangsters are sick of constantly stealing money from banks and decide to specialize themselves in abduction of celebrities or important people. First, they kidnap Johnny Hallyday (who in the film sings the song that is sourced from the title of the film), then they fly down to South America where they confine illegally an ambassador for a revolutionary. Thus, they pocket enough dough to go on holiday in the Carabbean.

This comedy from Claude Lelouch bears his trademark. Everything is conceived and made with a naive perspective from the steps of the narration which seem sometimes approximative and lame in spite of its simple linearity to the moral of the film that celebrates complete disengagement in favor of money. The filmmaker didn't jettison gratuitous effects and sometimes, the actors don't properly pronounce their cues; so you have to be very attentive to decipher what they say. But, the film has funny moments and Lelouch wields nonsense with quite efficiency. His virtuosity with camera makes up a bit for the drawbacks of the story aforementioned and I will add this extra one: the cast is patchy. Lino Ventura is as usual great but Jacques Brel... well I largely favor him as a singer, songwriter. His talent in acting is another story.

Lelouch is Lelouch and this cynical comedy will rejoice his fans. If you're looking for a film rigorously made, it's not the right one.