Le Grand Restaurant

Halfway it goes from the setting of the title to becoming a car chase shootout action movie, this wiffs of them not having any more comedy to show and thinking this will be TOTALLY out of the box to wow audiences by doobydoobydooby tada, an action flick, WHOA. Yeaaaaah nooooo, either stick to the qualities of your own genre's characteristics to make it good, not just switchover to a different genre.

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.

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

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.

As a Funés fan, it's hard for me to pick the best ones, but this would definitely stand in my top ten! ...or say top fifteen. This time he is the chef of very exclusive Paris restaurant.

Choleric as ever, he wants everything to be in the right order or even better. Problems occur when president of one unnamed country gets kidnaped while having a dinner at Septim's. With police and gangsters behind his back he tries to find the missing head of state by himself. And obviously a lot of fun happens during this adventure.

Funés is gorgeous as always, very energetic with funny gesticulation. The plot is simple, but cleverly written with many surprising turnovers. And add in the fabulous scene where DS Citroen falls into Sienna river, continuing its ride as a boat and you get the great entertaining movie of comedy empire of those times! Step in, tastes fresh and makes you laugh after all these years:-)