L'homme de Rio

A film that can be watched many times and one that has been a family favorite of ours for years. While the plot may not be that sophisticated, Belmondo is remarkable and the pace of the film is perfect for the light-comedy/action genre. If you don't speak French, the film is still a wonderful treat with subtitles. The theme song in Portuguese is haunting and memorable.

I was a bit flummoxed by the references to 'That Man From Rio' as a "James Bond parody", expecting it to be something like Dean Martin's Matt Helm movies or James Coburn as Flint. It's NOTHING like that. It's actually closer to some of Hitchcock's "average guy"-caught-in-a-web-of-intrigue pictures like 'The 39 Steps' or 'North By Northwest'. Anyway, however you label it it's a really entertaining romantic adventure movie that most people should enjoy. Two things really help it - the locales and the cast. Jean-Paul Belmondo ('Breathless') is one of the coolest and most charismatic leading men to ever stand in front of a movie camera, and he really makes this movie worth watching. It also doesn't hurt that the supporting cast includes the beautiful Francoise Dorleac (Polanski's 'Cul-de-sac') and 'Rififi's Jean Servais. I can't argue that this is anything but pure entertainment, but for what it is it is difficult to beat, and if you just want to have some fun then 'That Man From Rio' is highly recommended.

This movie is one of the best adventure movies I have ever seen. As a twelve-year old I used to watch it at least once a week on our (to that time) brand new VCR. I think it is the best acting of Belmondo and one of the best actings I have ever seen. An absolutely awesome movie. Pure adventure made in France. Sometimes you can see that Hollywood is not the non-plus-ultra in moviemaking!

In the early sixties,De Broca was to film "Tintin" .It's really too bad he could not get his wish ,cause the two Tintin which were filmed after he quit were disappointing .

But when he began "L'Homme De Rio" ,De Broca had not forgotten Tintin : the beginning of his screenplay and Hergé's "L'Oreille Cassée" (the broken ear) are stupendously similar : an Amazionan statuette is stolen from a museum .And in the two stories,there are TWO statuettes.The reporter has become a private on furlough (Belmondo) and Milou his gorgeous fiancée (the late Françoise Dorléac).The movie is some kind of comic strip and is enjoyable from start to finish .After "Cartouche" and this movie ,Philippe De Broca would be a name to reckon with.

Honest script, great locations, a very young Jean-Paul Belmondo and a very beautiful Françoise Dorléac. An effective Jean Servais in a role that is confirmed to be negative only in the second half of the film. A very young Adolfo Celi, great actor, prematurely gone too. And a very young Daniel Ceccaldi, in an unusual role for him. The stunts of Jean-Paul Belmondo are executed by... Jean-Paul Belmondo. For the first time in a movie, he makes his own stunts (at the risk of losing his life...) To be seen anytime again and again!