Taxi, roulotte et corrida (1958)

A chaotic family go on holiday to Spain and get mixed up with a gang of diamond thieves

Director:

André Hunebelle

Writers:

Jean Aurel (adaptation), Jean Halain (screenplay),

Stars:

Louis de Funès, Raymond Bussières, Annette Poivre

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Louis de Funès	...	Maurice Berger
Raymond Bussières	...	Léon
Annette Poivre	...	Mathilde, la femme de Léon / Léon's wife
Guy Bertil	...	Jacques Berger
Véra Valmont	...	Myriam
Jacques Dynam	...	Pedro, le premier ganster
Paulette Dubost	...	Germaine Berger
Albert Pilette	...	Gonzalès, le second ganster
Sophie Sel	...	Nicole
Max Révol	...	M. Fred
Jacques Bertrand	...	Carlos
Louis Bugette	...	Casimir (as Bugette)
Roger Desmare	...	Le barman
Jacques Dufilho	...	Le client du taxi
Marc Eyraud

Storyline

Louis is a hard working but crazy Paris taxi driver. Today he's finishing work for the summer holiday: his family is going to Spain with his sister-in-law and her family; they're going in the taxi and towing a caravan (trailer). The customs check at the border is pretty thorough, and the two men have some trouble smuggling in the tobacco they need while on holiday. Next to them in the customs hall is a beautiful blonde, who is smuggling a priceless stolen diamond into Spain. Realising that the customs people are suspicious of her, she slips the diamond into Louis' jacket pocket. She has found out where the families are going, so she will find a way to get it back later. Having overtaken them on the road, she pretends to have broken down, and asks Louis for his help, as a ruse to go through his pockets looking for the diamond: but it's not there. In fact he was smuggling the tobacco in his jacket pockets, and has since emptied it all out into a large jar. The diamond is mixed in with ...

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Plot Keywords:

diamond | smuggling | spain | taxi | jacket | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French Spanish

Release Date:

22 November 1958 (France)

Also Known As:

Den spanska semestern

Filming Locations:

Callejón de las Tomasas, Granada, Andalucía, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Champs-Élysées Productions, Lambor Films, P.A.C.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Taxi (1998)

User Reviews

de Funes in transition

This was not the greatest of films, but it's a good period piece, showing what it was like to be a tourist in late 50's Spain. It's a showcase for some great secondary actors, especially the Keatonesque Raymond Bussieres, and the ever present comediennes Paulette Dubost and Annette Poivre.

What I liked best about the film was seeing Louis de Funes in an early starring role. Many of the sketches are glimpses of things to come. The great mechanic, the smuggled diamond in a Cadillac convertable with a sticking horn, the comic stutterer - all these skits reprise in the Corniaud. And, shades of Rabbi Jacob, the man can dance. It's not pretty, but he sure can dance a mean flamenco.