Cherchez l'idole (1964)

Director:

Michel Boisrond

Writers:

Richard Balducci (scenario)
Annette Wademant (adaptation)

Release Date:

26 February 1964 (France)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Cherchez L'idole tells the story of a man pushed into stealing a jewel by his selfish girlfriend. After stealing the jewel...

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Dany Saval	...	Corinne
Franck Fernandel	...	Richard
Berthe Granval	...	Gisèle
Dominique Boschero	...	Vonny
Pierre Doris	...	Le disquaire
Jacques Dynam	...	Le routier
Christian Marin	...	Marcel
Pierre Bellemare	...	Himself
Harold Kay	...	Himself
Claude Piéplu	...	Piéplu (as Piéplu)
Alexandre Randall	...	Le présentateur (as Randall)
André Dionnet	...	Léon
Franco Califano	...	Le metteur en scène
Sylvie Vartan	...	Herself
Eddy Mitchell	...	Himself

Also Known As:

Sciarada alla francese (Italy)
The Chase

Runtime:

85 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC)

Soundtrack:

Prends garde à toi

Some people (used to )call 'em teenage idols....

....some people (used to) say they envy 'em...

That was the era of the French yeah yeah boys and girls .Forget the poor plot of a diamond heart (star Mylene Demongeot's most precious jewel)stolen then searched by Franck Fernandel (yes it's Fernandel's son ,he speaks a bit like his father but never managed to make a career as brilliant as his.)So the invaluable gem (50 million Francs at the time) was hidden in a guitar in a music store.And FIVE yeah yeah stars (or four yeah yeah stars and a crooner more like)have bought a guitar in THAT store.Which one has got the jewel in his/her instrument? "Cherchez l'idole" is ,so to speak,a musical ,for every star which could have.... and even others who are not even concerned pull a little tune in the film ;It's a film for those who feel nostalgic for the FRench sixties.

In the record store ,Eddy Mitchell and his "Chaussettes Noires" ("Black Socks") perform "Crois MOI Mon Coeur" .Since ,Mitchell has gone to movies ,while continuing his singer career to the present.He is a true cine buff.Also in the same place ,Sophie sings "Je n'y peux rien" (= I can't do anything about it): her song was prophetic cause she was virtually forgotten the following year.

In the famous Olympia ,managed by Bruno Coquatrix ,Sylvie Vartan performs Aznavour's lovely ballad "La PLus Belle Pour Aller Danser" some kind of French equivalent of "Will you love me tomorrow?"As it is 1964,I 'm wondering whether the Beatles -not appearing of course- were also on the bill.It was during these concerts at the OLympia (with also Trini Lopez) that they learned that "I wanna Hold your hand" had reached number one in America.For the record,other artists appear on stage : Hector, some kind of weirdo ,and the girls/boys group called "Les Surfs" singing "Ca n'a pas d'importance (It does not matter)These six boys and girls from Madagascar were popular before splitting circa 1967 Then it's an interview with Jean-Jacques Debout on Europe #1 radio.Debout was a poor singer but a good songwriter (notably for Johnny Hallyday)He does not perform live but one of his records is played ("Si tu Voulais M'aimer").

Frank Alamo,another shooting star of the sixties ,is starring in a western(?) filmed in the FRench country.More than his undistinguished song ("L'Ange que J'Attendais") ,we notice Claude Piéplu (credited only "Piéplu" in the cast) playing his own part with a Mexican hat.

Nancy Holloway ,a black (I think she is American but I'm not sure)singer hosts the Police ball.Unlike Vartan,Holloway had rhythm ,feeling and a good voice going for her ,but she fell into oblivion after 1965.She performs a rather mediocre song "Prends Garde à Toi" .She deserved better.She did a good French version of Dionne Warwick's "don't make me over" which sadly is not included in the film.

The moment of truth has come:Johnny Hallyday,whose career is still buoyant today ,performs " Bonne Chance" , a good ballad ,complete with strings ...on a bus! The last artist is not a yeah yeah one.He ,too,is still very popular and not only in France.Charles Aznavour performs "Et Pourtant" .Objectively ,he is the best artist of the whole movie.

I have completely forgotten the plot.It does not matter anyway,it's just an excuse for showing the teenage idols to the fans.