L'aventure, c'est l'aventure

"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 was a little bit disappointed when I saw this film. It could be a great movie if just the political side blows worked out. But when they refer to political habits then things are too sketchy and simple. I mean you could make a great film where crooks use political knowledge to take benefit from playing people against each other, but it doesn't works like in this film.

I also agree that it takes this movie to move on. While it is good in some movies to have long scenes, here it just doesn't make sense and makes the movie a little bit boring.

So my summary is: The film and the idea could have potential, but the way the film is trying to refer to political stuff just doesn't work out here. But this also is not a bad movie, it's better than most things on TV just don't expect anything big.

I can't hide it: I am a fan of Lelouch. So when I have a chance to see one of his movies or buy a DVD, I just do it. "L'aventure c'est l'aventure" is however low in terms of filming. The most annoying is the time it takes Lelouch to move on in the movie, once the humorous scene has been plotted and showed. Yes there are good moments, but in between these, ... it gets boring. And then the actors. Lino Ventura plays his 23d times same character in a lame and unconvincing way; Jacques Brel does not fit in the movie, whatever his talent might be; Charles Gerard and Charles Denner play their usual role; and finally Aldo Maccione is worth seeing once. Rating in IMDb according to me is far too high. Just for comparison, take another Lelouch, "The cat and the mouse", and let me know. That is what I call a good Lelouch movie: its construction, its moving camera and great natural actors performance.

"I thought you were Marxists" asks General Suarez to thief Lino Massaro. "Yes we are, Groucho Marxists!" Rising above the political struggles and claims of the seventies, a bunch of dumber than average thieves manage to make a lot money and share all kinds of adventures. "Clarity in confusion", or "confusion in clarity" if you prefer, is their motto. This very funny makes fun of the fact that all ideologies claim "love one another" but kill the other. It's above all a chance to see two of the greatest actors (Ventura, Denner) with long time friend one of the greatest singers ever (Brel). Claude Lelouch is very innovative in his filming techniques and offers with this movie a must see comedy for anyone who enjoys French flicks. Aldo Maccione shares his classical walk, Johnny Halliday sings the soundtrack and plays his own role, General Suarez is played by Bunuel's son and producer Elie Chouraqui plays a soldier.

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.