Le gentleman d'Epsom (1962)

The story takes place in the racecourses around Paris. A so-called major sells his tips to naive characters.

Director:

Gilles Grangier

Writers:

Michel Audiard, Gilles Grangier,

Stars:

Jean Gabin, Madeleine Robinson, Franck Villard

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Gabin	...	Richard Briand-Charmery
Madeleine Robinson	...	Maud
Franck Villard	...	Lucien
Jean Lefebvre	...	Charly
Jacques Marin	...	Raoul
Jean Martinelli	...	Hybert
Joëlle Bernard	...	Ginette
Aline Bertrand	...	La patronne du bar
Léonce Corne	...	Freedman
Marie-Hélène Dasté	...	Tante Berthe
Albert Dinan	...	Léon
Paul Faivre	...	Le vendeur de tickets
Camille Fournier	...	Thérèse
Paul Mercey	...	Oscar Robineau
Alexandre Rignault	...	Charlot

Storyline

The story takes place in the racecourses around Paris. A so-called major sells his tips to naive characters.

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Plot Keywords:

horse | handicapper

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French

Release Date:

1964 (USA)

Also Known As:

Duke of the Derby

Company Credits

Production Co:

Compagnia Cinematografica Mondiale (CCM), Compagnie Internationale de Productions Cinématographiques (CIPRA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

User Reviews

Jean Gabin, horse racing tout, passes himself off as an expert on horses

"The Gentleman from Epsom" is a pleasant, mild, and meticulous situation comedy that centers on the fraudulent con-man character played by Jean Gabin. Its strengths are in the clever script and in Gabin's performance as well as the nice photography.

Gabin scrapes by making a living by giving tips on horses. He has constructed a person and personality so that he can present a front as a sophisticated man who once was in the army and knows horses and has written books on them. His capacity to fabricate stories, responses and lies is the heart of the movie. He has an answer, usually a bold and crusty answer, for every tip that goes bad or every predicament he finds himself in.

Gabin's true generous heart is revealed in passing vignettes and interactions with his niece and an old flame, but his con-man heart is also revealed in his methods of making money off of his tips and writing a bad check to pay for a fancy dinner with an old flame. The main suspense in the story occurs as his fortunes soar and tumble with the races. He finds himself heavily in debt when he pockets a large bet from a client and the horse that should have lost instead wins and pays almost 9 to 1.