A Aventura é uma Aventura

"L'aventure, C'est L'aventure" (oddly titled "Money, Money, Money" in the US) is a strange film about five misfit career criminals. They all seem a bit dumb and ineffectual. However, when they band together and decide to try much higher stakes crimes, they inexplicably hit it big. So, instead of robbing their usual banks, they graduate to kidnappings and political intrigues. And, in spite of themselves, they always seem to land on their feet.

I watched this film for one main reason--Lino Ventura. And, in this regard, the movie was a huge disappointment. While Ventura might just be the coolest gangster in film history, here he is nothing like his usually self-assured persona but a bit of a bumbler hanging out with other bumblers. I certainly did NOT expect a comedy! However, after I got over this, I saw that the film, while a bit dopey here and there, is still very worth seeing. It is truly a strange but enjoyable film. Some of the laughs fall a bit flat but the film is so original and engaging that I was able to look past this.

Five lousy gangsters are sick of constantly stealing money from banks and decide to specialize themselves in abduction of celebrities or important people. First, they kidnap Johnny Hallyday (who in the film sings the song that is sourced from the title of the film), then they fly down to South America where they confine illegally an ambassador for a revolutionary. Thus, they pocket enough dough to go on holiday in the Carabbean.

This comedy from Claude Lelouch bears his trademark. Everything is conceived and made with a naive perspective from the steps of the narration which seem sometimes approximative and lame in spite of its simple linearity to the moral of the film that celebrates complete disengagement in favor of money. The filmmaker didn't jettison gratuitous effects and sometimes, the actors don't properly pronounce their cues; so you have to be very attentive to decipher what they say. But, the film has funny moments and Lelouch wields nonsense with quite efficiency. His virtuosity with camera makes up a bit for the drawbacks of the story aforementioned and I will add this extra one: the cast is patchy. Lino Ventura is as usual great but Jacques Brel... well I largely favor him as a singer, songwriter. His talent in acting is another story.

Lelouch is Lelouch and this cynical comedy will rejoice his fans. If you're looking for a film rigorously made, it's not the right one.

I have seen this film a few times in the 50 years since its premiere. This time I just wanted to have a few laughs here and there because the funniest bits are classics and i know them by heart, but i was surprised to realize that the movie's cynicism has been so utterly overtaken by present-day politics that our 5 friends look today as a NGO. The music has dated tremendously and it makes the film look older than it is. I still enjoy the all around goofiness and Jacques Brel is not as bad as others reviews point out. Take it seriously at your own peril, but don't think is puerile either. Those guys wouldn't sell their mothers for power and impunity, like our dear politicians today. Maybe not.

I can't hide it: I am a fan of Lelouch. So when I have a chance to see one of his movies or buy a DVD, I just do it. "L'aventure c'est l'aventure" is however low in terms of filming. The most annoying is the time it takes Lelouch to move on in the movie, once the humorous scene has been plotted and showed. Yes there are good moments, but in between these, ... it gets boring. And then the actors. Lino Ventura plays his 23d times same character in a lame and unconvincing way; Jacques Brel does not fit in the movie, whatever his talent might be; Charles Gerard and Charles Denner play their usual role; and finally Aldo Maccione is worth seeing once. Rating in IMDb according to me is far too high. Just for comparison, take another Lelouch, "The cat and the mouse", and let me know. That is what I call a good Lelouch movie: its construction, its moving camera and great natural actors performance.

I was a little bit disappointed when I saw this film. It could be a great movie if just the political side blows worked out. But when they refer to political habits then things are too sketchy and simple. I mean you could make a great film where crooks use political knowledge to take benefit from playing people against each other, but it doesn't works like in this film.

I also agree that it takes this movie to move on. While it is good in some movies to have long scenes, here it just doesn't make sense and makes the movie a little bit boring.

So my summary is: The film and the idea could have potential, but the way the film is trying to refer to political stuff just doesn't work out here. But this also is not a bad movie, it's better than most things on TV just don't expect anything big.