Le grand restaurant

Monsieur Septime (de Funès) is your (stereo)typical French restaurant manager...you know, the kind that perpetually inflates his own ego, disparages his employees and treats his patrons as royalty (unless, of course, they're German). While the film's plot is rather canned and disjointed, what makes this worth watching is Louis de Funès himself, one of France's most iconic comedians and expressionists. His uncanny ability to rapidly contort his face and externalize his character's frustrations effectively erase the issue of the language barrier on the film's humor, and is done so in a way that doesn't relegate it to the bottom shelf slapstick comedy. Though subtitles may be required, Le Grand Restaurant is a great first course introduction to the feast of funny from de Funès.

Another superb performance by 'Fufu', whose genius radiates throughout every scene, in a cult classic film, which dates back to an era when both French gastronomy and comedy were still at the height of what had made their greatness and their admiration all over the world.

9.9/10

This is the directoring debut for Jacques Besnard. The restaurant in the title is called Septime, named after the owner (Louis de Funes). A very two-sided person, smarmy towards the guest, but a hard and hysterical boss towards the employees. As the action takes place, Septime is welcoming a president (Folco Lulli) as a customer, a president (of which country we don't know) togther with his secretary Sophia (Maria-Rosa Rodriguez) and a security man. Suddenly during the dinner, fireworks goes on, and the lights go out. The result, a missing president.

Police chief (Bertrand Blier) takes over. There is no doubt in his mind, the president is abducted. Septime with the help of Sophia trying to solve the mystery.

Louis de Funes in topform and a very welcome to the always good Blier, so to speak the french version of Robert Morley.

As a French film from 1966 there's quite a lot of time with some carchases. Much of which happening around the ski resort of Val d'Isere.

A lot of good fun.

In this Louis de Funes recital he is Monsieur Septime who runs his Paris resturant : Chez Septime in military style, controlling strictly his waiters and cooks. One day, receives a famous guest, a fatty president : Folco Lulli of a South American country. Things go wrong, when Septime becomes involved into a kidnapping.

Hilarious comedy with emotion, mayhem, pursuits, car crashes, entertainment and amusement. Louis de Funes steals the show with his extreme mimic and sympathy in a role that fits him as a glove as a greedy man who owns his renowned restaurant with iron fist. Louis de Funes vehicle, outstanding thanks to his sympathetic overacting, as he puts strange faces, gestures and excessive gesticulation. Here Louis plays a restaurant owner who runs manu military by controlling his workers here and there, even disguising himself, and when a guest is kidnapped, looks as if Septime has something to do with it. From his first characters as Devil and 10 Commandments, Captain Fracassa, La Vendetta, until his greatest hits as Don't look now we are being shot along with Bourvil, Fantomas Trilogy along with Jean Marais : Fantomas, Fantomas strikes again, Fantomas vs Scotland Yard to the Cadillac Man, Wing and the thigh and his final movie The mad adventures of Rabbi Jacob, Louis de Funes was a brilliant comedian. Although Funes really excels in Ludovic Cruchot series as Le Gendarme of Saint Tropez, Gendarme in Balade, Le Gendarme in N. Y. , Le Gendarme and creatures of outer space, and his last film feature : Le Gendarmes and the Gendarmettes. He is well accompanied by a good cast as Bernard Blier playing a stubborn commissario, the Italian Venantino Venantini and Folco Lulli as President Nogales who disappears when dining at Septime restaurant, furthermore, brief appearances as two waiters of Michael Modo and Guy Grosso, usual colleagues to Louis De Funes in Gendarme Saint-Tropez series.

Well produced by one of the best French producers, Alain Poire who financed other Funes outings . Including a lively and jolly musical score by Jean Marion. The motion picture was well directed by Jacques Besnard at his film debut. If you like Funes' overacting you'll enjoy this one.

I love de Funés too, but I can't claim to have seen all of his movies; (he made like a hundred, right?) I will say that this one is absolutely hilarious though.

De Funés plays Septime, the despotic owner of a high class Paris restaurant, one which entertains the Paris glitterati as well as ministers of the French government. Once a foreign president disappears in the middle of Septime's grand number of lighting fire to a fancy dessert, Septime finds himself in an escalating drama. The police inspector suspects him, a revolutionary group from the missing president's country is after him, and the president's entourage blames him and demands he helps them find the missing head of state. Everyone is looking for the president, and they all ask of a terrified Septime to find him.

The poor Septime travels effortlessly (and lightning fast) between the sheer horror of finding himself in this situation, and the hilarious fits he throws whenever a staff member of his fails to meet perfection. The catch phrase of the movie is an angry kissing sound Septime makes whenever he wants to call an employee's attention to himself, without disturbing the guests, and it never gets tired.

I once heard a rumour that de Funés in person was exactly like the high-strung choleric characters he played, and thusly passed away too soon in a heart attack. I have no idea if this is true, but you do get the sense that he is more or less playing himself, which makes for some very convincing comedy. The man was a comedic genius, and this movie is a superb vehicle for him.