The Down-in-the-Hole Gang (1974)
"Les gaspards" (original title)

Director:

Pierre Tchernia

Writers:

Pierre Tchernia, René Goscinny,

Stars:

Michel Serrault, Philippe Noiret, Michel Galabru

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michel Serrault	...	Jean-Paul Rondin
Philippe Noiret	...	Gaspard de Montfermeil
Michel Galabru	...	Le commissaire Lalatte / Super-intendant
Charles Denner	...	Ministre des travaux publics
Prudence Harrington	...	Miss Pamela Pendleton-Pumkin
Gérard Depardieu	...	Le facteur / The postman
Chantal Goya	...	Marie-Hélène Rondin
Roger Carel	...	Alberto Sopranelli, le ténor
Daniel Ivernel	...	Le clochard
Pierre Destailles	...	L'homme au chapeau blanc
Hubert Deschamps	...	L'abbé Lestinguois
Jean Carmet	...	Paul Bourru, le marchands de vins
Annie Cordy	...	Ginette Lalatte
Françoise Cingal	...	Sophie
Paul Demange	...	Le concierge du ministère

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

steampunk | postman | cave | lost world | bookshop | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Adventure

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

France Belgium

Language:

French

Release Date:

6 February 1974 (France)

Also Known As:

The Down-in-the-Hole Gang

Filming Locations:

Studios de Boulogne-Billancourt/SFP - 2 Rue de Silly, Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Albina Productions S.a.r.l., Les Films de la Seine, Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française (ORTF)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Munich (2005)

User Reviews

"Valjean!" "The Unknown Soldier!"

A tremendously amusing film, where listing Gerard Depardieu as a star, knowingly a deterrent for some, is a misnomer. Possessing a small part in the film, Depardieu is almost unnoticeable as the story continues.

The film focuses on construction processes to "update" the city of Paris for a new industrial renaissance. The "villain", as it were, is the minister of public works, who "closes the Champs D'Elysee for blasting today", and proposed to build two skyscrapers on either side of Notre Dame. Played with a zeal for comedy is Charles Denner, and the hapless inspector Lalatte, trying so desperately to go on vacation, listing a series of disappearances (including 20 foreign tourists) as "escapades"-being young and in the city of Paris, an easy dismissal with an overbearing wife honking a car horn outside.

The symbolism in the film is tremendous-and by the end, you certainly wish for one or two things to have improved, but overall Rondin and Gaspard (the two lead roles) are played as dreamers, idealists in an era where such things are overlooked.

This film comes highly recommended.