Le monocle rit jaune (1964)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Georges Lautner

Writers:

Albert Kantoff (dialogue)
Albert Kantoff (story)

Release Date:

16 September 1964 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Thriller

Plot:

A French agent goes after a gang of Asian terrorists who plan to blow up an American nuclear aircraft carrier. |

Cast

Paul Meurisse	...	Le commandant Théobald Dromard dit'Le Monocle'
Marcel Dalio	...	Elie Mayerfitsky
Olivier Despax	...	Frédéric
Edward Meeks	...	Major Sidney
Henri Nassiet	...	The Colonel
Pierre Richard	...	Bergourian
Michel Duplaix	...	The Colonel's Assistant (as Michel Dupleix)
Renée Saint-Cyr	...	Madame Hui
Holley Wong	...	Inspector Hui
Kwan Chin-Liang	...	Li (as Kwan Ching Liang)
Lily Hong-Kong	...	Cora
Robert Dalban	...	Poussin
Barbara Steele	...	Valérie

Also Known As:

L'ispettore spara a vista (Italy)
The Monocle (USA)
The Monocle's Sour Laugh (USA) (literal English title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

French

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Cocinor

Trivia:

Barbara Steele, the number one "scream queen" of the moment, was imposed in the cast by the Italian part of the co-production.

Movie Connections:

Follows L'oeil du monocle (1962)

Among the most eccentric spy films of the 1960's

The French have a way with the spy film (among other things) and this must be among the most eccentric spy films of the 1960's. Paul Meurisse plays Major Theobald Dromar a.k.a. The Monocle, a fey secret agent who wears a monocle (hence the nickname) and cultivates an array of other odd mannerisms. Dromar is exceptionally successful in his work while putting up with the vulgar heathens on both sides of the law that surround him.

This adventure of The Monocle matches the strange character of Dromar to a tee (there were two previous films, The Black Monocle and Eye of the Monocle). There is some nice high contrast black and white photography and a great cool jazz score by Michel Magne, who also scored the Fantomas films. But the highlights of the film revolve around the curiosities tossed at the viewer with nonchalance. Director Georges Lautner (The Great Spy Chase) had charge of the previous Monocle films as well so his feel for the character is well ingrained.

The plot is simple enough but it has little to do with one's enjoyment of the film, after all. Locations in Hong Kong and Macao are used to great effect. Hong Kong never looked so densely crowded nor Macao so spare and haunting. There is lots of street footage in both places, some typical, but most not so.

One of the most unusual spy film experiences, The Monocle grows on you if you give it the chance. As Dromar says at one point `the more I see of the Chinese, it's amazing how like the French they are.'