Oscar (1967)

A cocky and insolent accountant asks his rich boss, a prosperous real estate promoter, for a generous raiseÂ… so he can marry a womanÂ… who happens to be the boss' daughter. That's for the starters, now, it gets tricky, if the boss says 'no', the accountant won't give him back a large sum of money he stole from the company. Well, he didn't steal it technically but he took it out of a technicality. This is crazy already but there's more to come. Little does the accountant know that the girl isn't even his boss' daughter, but he already started the wacky chain of events which, one imbroglio leading to another, made the boss' daughter reveal that she's in love with someoneÂ… and pregnant. Does she tell the truth? We suspect it is since the happy father's name is "Oscar" but really, it hardly matters, truth is only a matter of perceptionÂ… and gags.

"Oscar", based on a long-time running play created by Claude Magnier, belongs to the tradition of French screwball comedy, which means, it doesn't have much of plot and anything that should happen must work as a set-up for laughs. How could the film have a plot anyway? The departure it takes is so complicatedly crazy that even the resolutions that come after are not to be taken for granted, some of them even pave the way to crazier and sometimes needlessly complicated situations and other misunderstandings. This is situation comedy elevated to cinematic format. I don't mean this as a criticism, but as a neutral term because this branch of humor fits this unity of location/ time/ story structure, though it doesn't have the edge or wit of other based-on- plays comedies such as "Santa Claus is a Bastard", "Dinner of Schmucks" or "The First Name".

Yet, this is one of the most successful plays in France with a running record of 13 years (and it was produced again in the 2000's) and the reason why it works so much is because it's not about the situation, but about the reaction of one man to all of them: Bertrand Barnier played by Louis de Funès. Once De Funès took the leading role, he never left it and ended up playing it 600 times, it was maybe the role of his lifetime, and people didn't go to see the play but De Funès play in it. De Funès has always been known for his eccentric tantrums, his mimics à la Donald Duck, his tics and his embodiment of this temporary madness called anger by Romans, well, given all the situations he comes through in "Oscar", the fans had their money's worth. The film is a never-ending series of shouting, grimacing. On that level, it can be seen as the consummate De Funès' movie.

Indeed, while the other actors do justice to their parts, honorable mention to Claude Rich as the son-in-law-to-be, Paul Preboist as the butler and the always delightful Claude Gensac as Barnier's wife, De Funès is the pillar of the film. It might sound as a compliment but it is also the film's Achilles' heel because if you're not a fan or if you get rapidly tired of noises and gesticulations, you'll find the experience a bit exhaustive. This is a significant difference between Molinaro and Oury, Oury made movies where De Funès was part of a duo so that the film could be enjoyable on many other levels. In "Oscar", it's a hit-or-miss, and even fans that love De Funès for sentimental reasons might find the film too noisy. Speaking for myself, I couldn't stand the crying noises of the spoi

Fmovies: More shallow than this famous comedy is hard to find. Paradoxically, more hilarious than Edouard Molinaro's "Oscar" is even harder to pick up. I personally favor satire and humor based on human behavior over those mindless restless bedroom farces centered on infidelity and slamming doors. Well, this looks very much like a mindless farce: a restless businessman, a maid who resigns, a brutish masseur, a dishonest right-hand man who bullies his employer, a daughter who happens to be pregnant, a suitcase passing from hand to hand... nothing very profound about that, to be sure! And yet, I couldn't help laughing (and I was not alone, believe me) from the very first to the very last minute. Only one conclusion can be drawn: the comic machinery of the diabolical Magnier-de Funès- Molinaro trio is so well-oiled that this filmed version of " Oscar " (there are five other ones including one starring... Sylvester Stallone!) makes it simply irresistible. A real whirlwind that sweeps through the movie theater and leaves you breathless, not to say wheezing, with Louis de Funès at the top of his art.

This film originated as a play in Paris. The story focuses on the one-day adventures of Bertrand Barnier played with a genius of French cinema, Louis de Funes. In the same morning he learns that his daughter is pregnant, an employee stole a large amount of money from his company, his maid is about to resign in order to marry a wealthy neighbor and his body builder is interested in marrying his daughter. The seemingly complicated story-line is full of comedy or errors and some of the most hilarious mime scenes of the French cinema. There is never a dull moment in this film.

Oscar fmovies. For those who master french perfectly, it's the greatest comedy ever, full of typically french humour, wordplay, double messages and misunderstandings. For those who understand french sufficiently, it's still a riot. For the others, it will be the ultimate proof that french belongs amongst the most non-verbal languages on the face of this earth. MUST SEE! By the way: it was never released on video, but this is going to change rapidly as Gaumont - owner of the rights - has announced its release (VHS & DVD) before the end of 1999!!! So stay tuned and keep in touch with your local video shop...

This is one of my favorites since I've watched it for the first time as a kid. It's a typical french comedy from the 60's era. You can watch the movie several times and it is still funny; it makes you dizzy trying to find out in which of the several black suit cases the money, the jewelry or the lingerie is...and it's a treat to watch Louis de Funes trying to make sense of all the confusion. And his nervous breakdown in the middle of the film wrote movie history. The supporting cast is equally funny, just watch out for the masseur! Don't waste your time with the remake by John Landis with Sylvester Stallone in the leading role, go for the original one.

The script is stuffed with manipulations, lies, surprises and dumb characters so it's nearly one laugh guaranteed with every lines! To keep your pleasure, i wouldn't tell more, above all it is very complicated to resume!

I had the pleasure to see 3 versions of this story: one with "Sly" Stallone, another with Bernard Tapie (ex-president of the biggest football club in France, ex-Minister, ex-prisoner and now actor) and this one with De Funès.This latter, even being the oldest stays the best and for a long time, I think!

When people say De Funès knows only to make faces, I would recommend watching "Oscar" wide eyes open! Louis excels with his tone, his energy and his reactions. If he plays again and always a Machiavellian bad guy, for me, he shows a lot of humanity and a big heart!

That's the only problem with De Funes: as his movies built my childhood, I confused his real kindness with his characters: in other words, he makes me happy so he inspired me. But as his embodies bad guys, vile boss and hypocritical, I copy that and never have his success. Everybody was taken my words for real!

De Funès should have won an Oscar for this "Oscar"!