Directed by:
Gérard OuryCinematography:
Henri DecaëComposer:
Michel PolnareffCast:
Louis de Funès, Yves Montand, Alice Sapritch, Karin Schubert, Alberto de Mendoza, Don Jaime de Mora y Aragón, Eduardo Fajardo, Antonio Pica, Joaquín Solís (more)Plots(1)
Intended as a parody of Victor Hugo's tragic drama RUY BLAS, the story takes place in 17th-century Spain as a corrupt, money-grubbing tax collector, Don Salluste (Louis de Funes), hatches a plan for revenge after being fired and driven into exile by the Queen (Karin Schubert). Eager for her public humiliation, Salluste recruits his inept manservant, Blaze (Yves Montand), to pose as an aristocratic casanova and seduce the Queen--only to have the couple fall unexpectedly in love in a deliriously farcical turnaround. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (3)
The overwhelming majority of films relentlessly age, some faster, others slower, and I get the feeling that the comedies of the beloved Gérard Oury belong more to the former, and I usually give them three completely average stars when watching them again. While Delusions of Grandeur has also been affected by the ravages of time, I dare say that it is the only film that easily deserves four stars. It's not intellectual humor, but rather typical Louis de Funès-esque gags, faces, and furious gestures, straightforward jokes about the rich and powerful, and French folk humor. I would rather see Bourvil in the place of Yves Montand because Montand is more suited for dramatic roles, and this needed more clowning. Nevertheless, I genuinely laughed a few times and never felt any of the awkwardness that accompanies me when watching many comedies. Overall impression: 75%.
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The plot didn't sit well with me, and I feel like I've seen too many movies in a short span of time, which leads me to see de Funès as a person who often acted too similarly in his roles. It's part of his personality, but here I found it too annoying at times. There are good parts, but I guess I also have a problem with the historical concept.
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My favorite Funés film. I just like these scumbag characters and I always wanted to be a Sallust-type schemer. Louis is at the height of his creative powers in Delusions of Grandeur and it shows. In Montand, moreover, he has found the perfect partner, and so you should prepare yourself for some very, very crazy humor that rushes by at the rate of one hundred and seventy jokes per hour. In addition, Delusions of Grandeur boasts a great production design and perfect, at times almost western music.
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