Contraespionaje en el gran restaurante

Monsieur Septime (de Funès) is your (stereo)typical French restaurant manager...you know, the kind that perpetually inflates his own ego, disparages his employees and treats his patrons as royalty (unless, of course, they're German). While the film's plot is rather canned and disjointed, what makes this worth watching is Louis de Funès himself, one of France's most iconic comedians and expressionists. His uncanny ability to rapidly contort his face and externalize his character's frustrations effectively erase the issue of the language barrier on the film's humor, and is done so in a way that doesn't relegate it to the bottom shelf slapstick comedy. Though subtitles may be required, Le Grand Restaurant is a great first course introduction to the feast of funny from de Funès.

As a Funés fan, it's hard for me to pick the best ones, but this would definitely stand in my top ten! ...or say top fifteen. This time he is the chef of very exclusive Paris restaurant.

Choleric as ever, he wants everything to be in the right order or even better. Problems occur when president of one unnamed country gets kidnaped while having a dinner at Septim's. With police and gangsters behind his back he tries to find the missing head of state by himself. And obviously a lot of fun happens during this adventure.

Funés is gorgeous as always, very energetic with funny gesticulation. The plot is simple, but cleverly written with many surprising turnovers. And add in the fabulous scene where DS Citroen falls into Sienna river, continuing its ride as a boat and you get the great entertaining movie of comedy empire of those times! Step in, tastes fresh and makes you laugh after all these years:-)

I love de Funés too, but I can't claim to have seen all of his movies; (he made like a hundred, right?) I will say that this one is absolutely hilarious though.

De Funés plays Septime, the despotic owner of a high class Paris restaurant, one which entertains the Paris glitterati as well as ministers of the French government. Once a foreign president disappears in the middle of Septime's grand number of lighting fire to a fancy dessert, Septime finds himself in an escalating drama. The police inspector suspects him, a revolutionary group from the missing president's country is after him, and the president's entourage blames him and demands he helps them find the missing head of state. Everyone is looking for the president, and they all ask of a terrified Septime to find him.

The poor Septime travels effortlessly (and lightning fast) between the sheer horror of finding himself in this situation, and the hilarious fits he throws whenever a staff member of his fails to meet perfection. The catch phrase of the movie is an angry kissing sound Septime makes whenever he wants to call an employee's attention to himself, without disturbing the guests, and it never gets tired.

I once heard a rumour that de Funés in person was exactly like the high-strung choleric characters he played, and thusly passed away too soon in a heart attack. I have no idea if this is true, but you do get the sense that he is more or less playing himself, which makes for some very convincing comedy. The man was a comedic genius, and this movie is a superb vehicle for him.

Halfway it goes from the setting of the title to becoming a car chase shootout action movie, this wiffs of them not having any more comedy to show and thinking this will be TOTALLY out of the box to wow audiences by doobydoobydooby tada, an action flick, WHOA. Yeaaaaah nooooo, either stick to the qualities of your own genre's characteristics to make it good, not just switchover to a different genre.

A cult comedy is from my point of view, a movie in which you can't remember all the funny moments and therefore, you are always happy to discover them again and again.

So, there, I knew that De Funes was a terrible, tyrannic boss of a great restaurant but his manners eluded me while they are really funny! He's truly the best actor in this field and beyond, a very talented one. As Al (Pacino), I feel that De Funes exudes humanity, compassion and class behind all his jokes…

In addition, as it figures among the oldest movies I saw, it was great to see Paris an half-century ago. Besides cars and trends, I feel that Paris was more "green" with trees than actually.

Unfortunately, when the main thing is served, the script becomes strange: a mix between Bond for the aquatic car and the Pink Panther for the winter sequence… We are far away of the restaurant!

In conclusion, great appetizers but the menu left me wanting for more!