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)

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.

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!

the movie is a favourite of my childhood, after watch and watch and watch again, it's become quite cheesy for me , not bored , just a feeling of "cheese".

the most amazing thing about the movie is the score composed by vladimir cosma , the score got a nomination by the french film academy--Cesar's highbrows (note: Cesar like any other academic "elite" groups , never have given a commercial movie a chance , but this time. they made an exception. however it unluckily but inevitably lost to Miklós Rózsa's Providence in which I swear I didn't hear any music except some noise from some factories) , I guess the score must be the easiest listening music of all time, hands down! (best enjoy it at summer)

the second most wonderful thing(close to the first) is naturally belmondo, mike is drop dead hot. he is shining and spreading everywhere,his smile, his gesture, his walk, he is really a lovely man as for Bruno, belmondo showed his another side----his traditional acting talent....

the third thing is the french supporting cast Charles Gérard,Mario David, Julien Guiomar,Dany Saval,Raymond Gérôme,Aldo Maccione,and of course Claude Chabrol who resembles a panda as himself, well, no one tries to steal the show, though everyone has the ability to do..

I care least for Raquel Welch, who although has done her best is replaceable, but I admit they have good chemistry. and as an American actress she has something different..

this is also director Zidi's best film, his other films(including"The Wing and the Thigh", "Ripoux") failed completely, i recommend his 4 films with charlots bros and 2 films with auteuil, they are not magnificent, but at least very amusing

Michel Audiard ,the respectable dialog writer also should be given some credit for his collaboration

film buffs! give yourself a break , watch this picture like ordinary people do

'L'animal', made in 1977, is a film shrouded in stardust. The director is Claude Zidi, one of the most famous French authors of popular comedies, who is also the co-author of the screenplay whose dialogues are written by the legendary Michel Audiard. The music is composed by Vladimir Cosma and the cast includes famous actors and a director in cameo roles. The main attraction, however, was the presence in the main roles of Jean-Paul Belmondo and Raquel Welch. This was then, and is still today, the main reason why it is worth watching or re-watching 'L'animal'.

We are dealing with a film about people who make films, proof that not only in Hollywood are filmmakers in love and fascinated by their own profession. Mike and Jane are a pair of stunt doubles for Johnny Hallyday and Jane Birkin in a film by Claude Chabrol. They are scheduled to be married at noon, which leaves them enough time for a car stunt at 10AM. The car's brakes fail and the day ends in the hospital, with the two in casts and bandages. Jane, furious, says NO to the mayor brought to the hospital to officiate the marriage. A few months later, Jane has found a wealthy aristocrat who would like to marry her while Mike has not given up on persuading Jane to marry him, but in the absence of work he is forced to defraud welfare by claiming that has seven children (or maybe nine) and to dress up as a gorilla for supermarket adverts. The two's chance comes when their services are requested for a film starring Bruno Ferrari, a star who claims to perform his own stunts. In reality, not only does he suffer from vertigo, but he's also gay. The troubles only start here.

Belmondo's admirers cannot miss the opportunity to see their idol again in a sparkling double role, with a fearful and gay actor as one of the appearances. Raquel Welch is brilliantly sexy and very likable. The two carry the film, which otherwise has a rather banal plot, in which the biggest surprise is that there are no surprises. However, there is one more important aspect that cannot be omitted. Unlike the film's hero, Belmondo actually was performing most of his stunts himself, and he did so in 'L'animal', in which he fulfilled one of his childhood dreams - making a scene where he stands on the wings of an airplane in flight. No insurance company agreed to insure him for this scene. He did it at his own peril, and we have it captured as it happened on film. Another reason not to bypass it.