Le cerveau (1969)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Gérard Oury

Writers:

Marcel Jullian (writer)
Gérard Oury (writer)

Release Date:

13 November 1969 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

The Brain has rocked the world with laughter!

Plot:

Arthur and Anatole are two little robbers. They want to rob money, money that will travel in a special train from Paris to Bruxelles...

Plot Keywords:

Train | Paris | Train Robbery | Digging | Brother Sister Quarrel

Cast

Jean-Paul Belmondo	...	Arthur Lespinasse
Bourvil	...	Anatole
David Niven	...	Col. Carol Matthews
Eli Wallach	...	Frankie Scannapieco
Silvia Monti	...	Sofia
Raymond Gérôme	...	Le commissaire
Jacques Balutin	...	L'inspecteur Pochet
Henri Attal	...	Un homme de la bande
Yves Barsacq	...	Un gardien
Jacques Ciron	...	L'inspecteur Duboeuf
Robert Dalban	...	Le Belge enrhumé
Mario David	...	Un antiquaire
Raoul Delfosse	...	Un Belge
Tommy Duggan	...	Le superintendant Cummings
Henri Génès	...	Le gardien-chef

Also Known As:

Il cervello (Italy)
The Brain (USA)

Runtime:

115 min | Spain:110 min | USA:100 min | West Germany:108 min

Country:

France | Italy

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | USA:G | West Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Bargème, Var, France

Company:

De Laurentiis

Trivia:

The film has been shot in two languages (French and English) with the same cast.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Halfway through the film, when the train is shot from above in the countryside the shadow of the helicopter flying over is clearly visible on the side of the rail-track.

Soundtrack:

Cento giorni

Let the good times roll

Ah, the characters: David Niven as a British Officer/Master thief, played with his usual ironic assurance and poise, Eli Wallach as a frantic and choleric mafioso (he is a contender for Louis des Funés as the most explosive screen presence ever) and the delicious duo of Belmondo as an ambitious and inventive but somewhat hapless small time crook with Bourvil as his more cautious straight man and partner in crime.

A movie with great dialogue, fantastic pace, a swinging soundtrack and an incredible mix of physical, situational and verbal comedy - laugh-out-loud funny throughout.

If "The Brain" should really not be available on DVD this would just be further proof of how little brain these entertainment-industry executives have.