Jo e il gazebo

This screwball comedy of the early seventies has everything you might expect of a Louis de Funès movie: over-the-top acting (no wonder Louis had cardiac problems later on...). It can be described in one sentence by Inspecteur Ducros (Bernard Blier): "Is this a train station?". In fact, people are coming from all places, run through the house, frantically doing something like putting up a garden gazebo, demonstrating a (non-working) fire-extinguisher, doing police investigations, having a matrimonial crisis, laughing like a mad dog (the maid), doing the real-estate business and so on.

Inludes appearances by Ferdie Mayne (Mister Grunder), the notorious Count von Krolock in Roman Polanski's 1967 Dracula spoof "The Fearless Vampire Killers".

"Jo" is definitely a movie for de Funès fans as much as for those who just love to watch a fast-paced thriller-comedy. It is a shame that this gem is not yet available on DVD or VHS tape, not even in France. Since MGM seems to hold the rights one might ask why so.

Jo might not be the funniest movie with Louis de Funès but I still enjoy it as much as the first time I watched it. To me there are no bad movies starring Louis de Funès. He's by far the best comedian France as ever had, the man with 40 different facial expressions per minute, always very energetic and a delight to watch. Jo has flaws like most French comedies from the seventies but the cast makes this movie enjoyable to watch. Louis de Funès, Claude Gensac, Bernard Blier and Michel Galabru, all comedians that everybody liked, are almost a guarantee for a funny movie. Claude Gensac played again the wife of Louis de Funès, she would do that ten times in her career, a thing we were all familiar with after awhile. Her collaboration with Louis de Funès always worked. Louis de Funès can make any movie good as his energy, screen presence and great sense of humor are always very enjoyable to watch. The story in Jo isn't perfect, that's obvious, but even those minor faults can't bring the quality of this movie down. When I watch a movie like this one I just want to watch more movies starring Louis de Funès, he has that kind of charisma you never get enough of.

It's as simple as that. This may be Louis de Funès' best comedy. Absolutely hilarious. We ended up quoting the dialogues and acting out the most memorable scenes. A must! I hope I'll catch it someday in a stage version.

This is one of the best films Louis de Funes has done. His type of acting is not everyones taste but if you like Jerry Lewis' movies or Peter Sellers in his Pink Panther Series - this is a *must* for you! Hilarious situations, strange but funny characters, slapstick and of course de Funes as the choleric man who has to struggle with endless problems makes an outstandig comedy. And then it's fun to watch all those 70ies costumes and decoration as well ;-)

This may be Louis de Funes best movie.

A wonderful story, full of silly embroilments and funny dialogues. And a wonderful de Funes at his best, full of emotions and with his very own mimic and gesticulation.

For all of you out there who have not given this wonderful French actor a chance: Get this movie and roll on the floor laughing. See how a more than harmless man kills a stranger and tries to find out who the hell he has killed and how to get rid of this recalcitrant corpse which keeps on turning up in the most unfavorable of moments... and see how just that same day this poor man's house is turned into a beehive full of strange characters.

Highly recommended!