Le grand blond avec une chaussure noire (1972)

Director:

Yves Robert

Writers:

Yves Robert (writer)
Francis Veber (writer)

Release Date:

30 August 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Mystery

Plot:

Hapless orchestra player becomes an unwitting pawn of rival factions within the French secret service...

Plot Keywords:

French | Agent | Secret Service | Secret Agent | On The Run

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Pierre Richard	...	François Perrin
Bernard Blier	...	Bernard Milan
Jean Rochefort	...	Le colonel Louis Marie Alphonse Toulouse
Mireille Darc	...	Christine
Colette Castel	...	Paulette
Jean Obé	...	Botrel
Robert Castel	...	Georghiu
Jean Saudray	...	Poucet
Roger Caccia	...	M. Boudart
Maurice Barrier	...	Chaperon
Robert Dalban	...	Le faux livreur
Arlette Balkis
Tania Balachova
Paul Le Person	...	Perrache
Jean Carmet	...	Maurice

Also Known As:

Follow That Guy with the One Black Shoe (UK)
The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe (USA)

Runtime:

USA:90 min | Argentina:90 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Finland:K-8 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Company:

Gaumont

Trivia:

Francis Veber used to call most of his characters with names based on famous cities (Toulouse, Milan, Perrache etc.) in order to avoid any confusion with real life persons.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Astérix & Obélix: Mission Cléopâtre (2002)

Hysterically funny French spy farce!

This film was one of the most successful crossover French films of the 70's, and for very good reason. It is a delightful spoof of the spy genre, with a hapless musician unknowingly caught in the middle of a war between two factions of the French secret service. The plotting is extremely funny, the directing tight, the music (played by Zamphir on the pan pipe!) unforgettable, and above all the ensemble acting by a stellar cast will have you watching this again and again. Pierre Richard, playing the title character, brings an unusual elegance and sense of class to what would otherwise be a Woody Allen-esque role (it was played by Tom Hanks in the American re-make). Mireille Darc is the femme fatale, and there were quite few teenage boys in the 70's who never got over the image of her in a jaw-dropping backless dress. The rest of the group, from the cool head of the Secret Service, to the efficient but misguided spies, to the bumbling best friend and his wife, all leave indelible memories. Thirty years after having seen this film for the first time, I can remember everything with crystal clarity, and my own kids have found it just as delightful. Go ahead and rent this one for truly fun evening, you will love it!