Le cave se rebiffe

Interesting piece of French cinema, with "monstre sacré" Jean Gabin and famously acid dialogues by Michel Audiart.

The story is actually quite interesting and the era so foreign so this reviewer was actually metaphorically glued to their seat.

The White male characters are unfortunately first class condescendant towards minorities and women but this only sadly reflects the time and history of Western privilege.

In a nutshell: excellent and enjoyable stand alone part II in a trilogy with Master Liar Max the Trickster (personal free translation of Max le Menteur).

A review in 600 characters.

Someone made me discovered this film emphasizing on the beautiful dialogs and the strong performance of Mr Jean Gabin. Being a huge fan of the film makers next greater success' "les tontons flingueurs", I was not reluctant at all to watch this movie. These aging gangster movies play with the morals of that earlier time. Subsequently it's OK to cheat on your husband and to have your house in a former "bordel" and of course all your long time friends are geniuses in the world of crime. The viewer enjoys a nice feeling of coolness and simplicity watching the actors displaying their lives. The introduction to the characters is also very interesting, allowing Mr Gabin a honorable entry in the plot. And of course each character has his own memorable quotes : *[...] and if I went on with psychoanalysis, I'd say he's the king of fools!". * "- In pure theory how much could we hope for with that counterfeit? - 20 years! Profit splits, imprisonment adds up" I would not want to finish this review without raising my hat to Bernard Blier, a huge "supporting actor with the charisma of a main character". His nonchalant act is great and honest. He belongs to the few artists who know how to catch your attention with an indescribable magnetism. Hope you enjoy it too.

Le Cave se rebiffe is one of my favorite movies of all times. With an impeccable cast (Jean Gabin, Bernard Blier and Maurice Biraud among others)and an excellent story to go along things can't go anything but right. Add to that the dialogs from Michel Audiard and voilà! a masterpiece.

This movie contains two of my favorite Audiard one liners, I'll try and translate for non French-speaking members: - About Eric, Jean Gabin says: "If stupidity could be measured, he'd serve as a yardstick for it" - Talking with Maurice Biraud: "To deny your own talents makes it easier for mediocre people to succeed".

Real funny stuff, but also things to think about.

'Touchez-pas au Grisbi' was the first in the Max le Menteur trilogy of Albert Simonin. The film under review is the second and 'Les Tontons Flingueurs' the third. All three adaptations have dialogue by the great Michel Audiard. This is the eighth collaboration of director Gilles Grangier with the irrepressible Jean Gabin whose career had been revitalised by 'Grisbi' in 1956. He has here one of his best roles of the 1960's as a master counterfeiter.There is tremendous support from Bernard Blier, Frank Villard, Balpetre, Martine Carol, Ginette Leclerc and the imperious Francoise Rosay. It is Gabin who is gifted the best lines notably 'the greatest failed businesses are built on trust'! Extremely entertaining with never a dull moment. Comedy is a serious business of course but I would like to think that the cast had as much fun in making this film as I had in watching it.

It has been many years since I saw this film, and I keep hoping I will run into it again somewhere. I was struck by two unusual aspects.

First, the film appears to show considerable detail about the actual production of counterfeit Dutch currency, almost as if it were a step by step introduction for aspiring forgers of the 1960s.

Second, Jean Gabin as the master forger does not simply outwit the local police and leave his would-be accomplices empty-handed, but then calmly makes for the airport with a suitcase full of real currency. Like a businessman who has had a satisfying overseas trip, he settles back without a care in the world while his plane wafts him to some tropical paradise where there will be no pesky European police to ask questions.

All in a good week's work, the film seems to conclude.