Le magnifique

As a spy parody, we already have a nice movie, cutting for a 7/10. But this movie doesn't stop there and adds another layer, intertwining the story of Bob Saint Clar, the perfect spy, with the one of its creator, the writer François Merlin, and raises the level one step higher.

It goes also with a nice duo of actors: Belmondo enjoying himself, and ourselves, and Jacqueline Bisset - previously James Bond girl - which shines on the movie with her double role.

Without disclosing the story, you'll have a very good time.

In kanopy as the man from acapulco, but in imdb as le magnifique. Jacqueline bisset, vittorio caprioli, jeanpaul belmondo. Francois is a writer who has created a suave, sharp spy hero, who is all the things the writer is not. Francois uses people and events from his own life in the spy's adventures. Lots of fake blood and guts, but it's so over the top, it's more comical than scary. The running gag where the plumber and electrician are waiting for the other to work in francois' flat before they will start their work. Fun scenery from all over the world, as the spy saint-clar chases the bad guys. Paris, puerto vallarta, orly, acapulco. It must have been really fun making this film! In french, with english subtitles. It's a fun parody of spy thrillers, with sight gags keeping us entertained. Some repetition. Mostly good stuff. Directed by philippe de broca, who has been nominated for an oscar and a bafta! It's a fun one. One forgets that it was made back in 1973.

Albanian agents are smuggling missile platforms into Mexico. An American agent is devoured by a shark in a phone booth. Superspy Bob St. Cloud is sent to Acapulco to investigate. There he meets the beautiful Tatiana, but their romance is interrupted when they are attacked by an army of Albanian scuba divers, armed with machine guns. In the middle of the carnage, a cleaning woman pushes a vacuum cleaner up the beach. She enters the door of a small beach house where...

In a shabby Parisian flat, Francois Merlin, writer of cheap fiction, is pounding out his forty-third spy novel. He sees a young sociology student through the window of a nearby flat. Though he's never met her, she becomes part of his novel.

From this beginning French director Philippe de Broca (King of Hearts) creates a bizarre comedy of frustrated desires and fantastic dreams. Like Walter Mitty, Merlin creates a fantasy life within his novels far more exciting than his own.

French film star Jean-Paul Belmondo shows great versatility in a duel role as the campy hero Bob St. Cloud and the burnt-out Francois Merlin. Jacqueline Bisset is the vampish spy, Tatiana, as well as Christine, the sociology student who studying the popular appeal of Merlin's escapist novels. Vittorio Caprioli also plays a dual role as Bob St. Cloud's arch-enemy, the evil Colonel Karpoff, and as Merlin's smarmy publisher Georges Charon.

De Broca is a master of light comedy and his film careens wildly through moments of high camp, pathos and outright slapstick, as the story switches back and forth between the fantasy of Merlin's novel to the reality of his own life. In the end Merlin must battle his own fictional alter ego, as well as his publisher, for the love of the fair Christine.

There are some cornball aspects to this film, but it also incredibly inspired in many ways. It is best not to read a bunch of summaries of the plot, just watch it and revel in the imagery which is fantastic in many parts. Belmondo is fantastic as is Jacqueline Bisset. If you already found sixties spy/agent films campy, this film will be a wonderful release, but also a haunting pastiche of dark humor on the whole genre. The jokes are layered very thick, not all of them hit, but compared to the campy schtick done in hollywood, this is shakespearean.

A funny and amusing satire about secret agents and James Bond especially , packing noisy action , entertainment, and lots of humor with tongue in cheek. In fact , it was one of the best spoofs of the James Bond and Euro-spy films in the Seventies . Here Jean Paul Belmondo is an out-of luck writer called Francois in his 43rd novella as well as a máster spy called Bob Saint Clair , while mixing fantasy and reality when he chases women and solves cases. While Jacqueline Bisset is a cute student and damsel in distress who is saved by Belmondo in Acapulco from the claws nasty Vittorio Caprioli. Philippe de Broca , the director of King of hearts ..the Man from Río...Cartouche , now returns with Belmondo and Bisset in this great action comedy !

A hectic , extravagant and sophisticated action movie with plenty of farce , adventure and hilarious situations . An adventure action movie heavily influenced by the comic books including fantasy , imagination, thrills and a lot of fun . A successful French film that was the highest grossing movie of the year 1973 . The picture benefis itself from the two main actors , the always sympathetic Jean Paul Belmondo and the gorgeous Jacqueline Bisset as the cute neighbour in her total total splendor , along with the attractive villain played by Vittorio Caprioli who appears as his editor and as Colonel Karpoff . And other secondaries giving brief but likeable interpretations as Hans Meyer and Jean Lefebre , the famous Gendarme of Saint Tropez along with Louis De Funes .

The motion picture was lavishly produced by Alexander Mnouchkine and amusingly directed by Philippe De Broca and made in similar style to The Man from Río 1964 starred by Belmondo and Ursula Andress . De Broca directed some nice movies , most of them comedies , action and adventures , such as Cartouche , The King of Hearts , Oldest profession, Le Cavaleur , Jupiter's thigh, The Green House , Louisiana, among others . And his fetish actor was the recently deceased Jean Paul Belmondo , being his best movie this Le Magnifique . Rating :7/10. Better than average . Well worth watching . The picture will appeal to Belmondo and Bisset fans .