L'animale

As he had already proved in other films, Jean Paul Belmondo is possibly the closest European equivalent to Jackie Chan in terms of the stunts and acrobatics he is willing to do (another candidate: Terence Hill). In "L'Animal" he is in peak form and takes some life-threatening risks (including standing on the top of a flying bi-plane!), and, playing two different characters (a stuntman, brave but with a knack for screwing things up, and a movie star, popular, spoiled and gay), he shows his comic talents as well. Raquel Welch does her share of physical stuff, and, needless to say, she is a total babe. This is not a great comedy by any means, and you'll find no substance whatsoever here, but it's still enjoyable enough, especially if you like the two leads. (**1/2)

This picture hit the movie screens on October 17th 1977 overseas in France. Starring in this film is the beautiful and gorgeous Raquel Welch who plays the role of Jane Gardner and Jean Paul Belmondo who plays the role of Mike Gaucher. The picture opens with Mike climbing the side of a burning building to rescue Jane Gardner from the fire. While talking about there up coming wedding which is the next day the producer remains Mike that the car crash scene is to start at 10am. Jane stands here ground and said no until her and Mike compromise and agrees to get married right after the scene is done. While in the car doing the crash scene for the second time the brakes in the car give out leaving the couple hanging over a bridge. The car gives and goes straight down putting both Mike and Jane in the hospital. With both of them in the same room the Justice of the Piece shows up to marry the couple. However, Jane changes her mind and throws the Minister out of the room. Then she takes a pair of scissors, then pulls her bed over to Mike's and tries to stab him with the scissors. After both Mike and Jane injuries heal Mike still wants to marry Jane but Jane wants nothing to do with the two time loser. After having no work Mike gets a call to go to Paris to do stunt man job for one of the local movie stars. When the stunt woman walks of the set its up to Mike to find a replacement and who's his first choose none other then Jane. So Mike follows Jane to a big party where he tries to convince Jane to work with him on this job or his finished. After running around and acting crazy Jane says yes just to get him away from her. What makes matters worst is Jane decides she going to marry one of the movie directors from Paris. Now Mike has to do anything and everything if he wants to keep Jane to himself. This wasn't a bad movie and if it wasn't for the beauty of Raquel Welch this movie wouldn't even be worth watching. The best seen is where there near the water and Raquel gets her on piece suit wet and she's shows of her beauty with style. I give this picture 10 weasel stars just for that scene alone.

One of the greatest films about moviemaking ever. Hundreds of extras running and fighting, a stuntman is jumping and falling down a 30 meter staircase again and again, getting hurt more and more, while the director is only worried about entertaining his leading role superstar bruno ferrari (what a name!), who's performance is getting worse and worse. And after take 15 the 1st AD whispers 'Dont you think take 1 was great, and if you want, you can mix it with take 3', and the director yells 'Okay, let's have lunch!

Claude Zidi has made comedies with all the best actors in France: Coluche, Thierry Lhermitte, Daniel Auteuil, Josiane Balasko; I imagine they sign on when they know he's directing. Here he has got Belmondo and Raquel Welch in an entertaining but not deeply probing picture(certainly not as deeply as Salut l'artiste, Yves Robert's film on stunt performers, with Mastroianni).

Belmondo has a lot of fun being physical, throwing his 44-year-old body down staircases and over moving cars. That stomach is still as flat as when he made Breathless with Godard, he's a marvel. Raquel Welch looks better here than I can remember her in Hollywood pictures, she's well lit and wears some great outfits by Scherer. She looks a lot better than she did in Mother, Jugs and Speed, or any of those junkfests. Finally, Aldo Maccione as the director is so easy to watch--and I've watched him in many pictures--he's like the perfect shady night club manager, married to the mob.

Watchable little slapstick comedy about a stuntman (Belmondo), his stuntwoman girlfriend (Welch), how the film industry treats them, how they get by when out of a job, etc. Belmondo plays a double role, as a gay movie star and his look-a-like stunt double. He apparently has enormous fun playing both of them completely over the top (as the character of the film demands). For my taste though, his stunt character demands a bit too much love and attention from the audience; we are supposed to route for him getting the girl etc. and I found this somewhat patronising.

The film is at its best in moments of fast and furious comedy, for example a memorable scene has Belmondo creating havoc while wearing a Gorilla suit. However, these moments leave Raquel Welch (who looks fantastic in a wet blouse) a bit on the sidelines: slapstick is not quite her metier.