Le Jouet

(IMDB summary corrected for grammar and augmented.) When Francois, a journalist, tours a big store for an article, he is chosen by the son of the newspaper's owner, Rambal-Cochet, as his new toy. Needing money and unwilling to quit his job, Francois agrees to this ridiculous assignment. Gradually befriending the spoiled boy, he induces him to play at making a newspaper, unveiling publicly the tyrannical way of life of the father. The powerful emotional climax we experience with the child astonishes both men.

This funny, thoughtful film is much better than its American remake and deserves wider recognition.

This is a great film! Richard Pryor thought he could use a remake as his personal vehicle in 'The Toy", but the American Hollywood version lacked the

insight and the comic spirit of the French original.

The film captures the arrogance and hateful attitude of the capitalist rich towards their employees to a T. I was laughing throughout the entire film!

If you get a chance, check it out. I give it 100 stars on a scale of 0 to 10. Give it to Hollywood to mess this one up, which they did. When will we Americans get fed up with this LA butchering of an art form always transformed into commercialized spoon-fed crap? See the original and weep for Poor Richard.

Amusing movie about a unemployed man, François Perrin, who finally gets a job as a reporter for an important newspaper. The business is owned by billionaire Pierre Rambal-Cochet. His young son always get what he wants. And he wants François Perrin as a toy! Perrin doesn't have a choice if he wants to keep his new job. So he becomes a simple toy.

Francis Veber scores again with this one. It's no masterpiece, but it's a steady comedy with good laughs all along. And the cast is good. Pierre Richard shines as usual. Jacques François too as Blénac. And Michel Bouquet is great as Rambal-Cochet. So funny when we learn how he buys his properties!

Out of 100, I give it 76. That's good for **½ out of ****.

Seen at home, in Toronto, on December 2nd, 2002. I saw this film back in the eighties and I remember loving it at the time.

A very nice and funny movie with several ideas tied into it. It is the original movie which was followed by an American version, The Toy. I feel the American version lost some of the important ideas that they were expressing in the original.

I saw this film in Washington DC in the '70s, and was captivated. Then I brought friends and saw it again and again. Unfortunately, it is not available now in the States, though the coarse remake with Pryor and Gleason has overshadowed it. How can this be?? Richard has a delightful blend of tenderness and integrity that urge the viewer toward a more optimistic view -- that one person can make a big difference in someone's life. And the ending of the film suggests that we need to give much more credit to our small ones' ability to recognize truth and honor. If you have the chance, see it. If you know how to lobby to get this film the North American distribution it deserves (in VHS or DVD), please get on board!