Les visiteurs (1993)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Jean-Marie Poiré

Writers:

Christian Clavier (writer)
Jean-Marie Poiré (writer)

Release Date:

12 July 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Comedy

Tagline:

When an 11th century knight and his loyal servant try to go back in time, only one thing will stand in their way. The 20th century.

Plot:

A medieval nobleman and his squire are accidentally transported to contemporary times by a senile sorcerer...

Plot Keywords:

Time | Medieval | Sorcerer | Duty | Buddy Movie

Awards:

1 win & 8 nominations

Cast

Christian Clavier	...	Jacquouille la Fripouille / Jacquard
Jean Reno	...	Godefroy de Papincourt, Comte de Montmirail
Valérie Lemercier	...	Frénégonde de Pouille / Béatrice de Montmirail
Marie-Anne Chazel	...	Ginette la clocharde
Christian Bujeau	...	Jean-Pierre
Isabelle Nanty	...	Fabienne Morlot
Gérard Séty	...	Edgar Bernay
Didier Pain	...	Louis VI le Gros
Jean-Paul Muel	...	Marechal des Logis Gibon
Arielle Séménoff	...	Jacqueline (as Ariel Séménoff)
Michel Peyrelon	...	Edouard Bernay
Pierre Vial	...	Wizard Eusebius / Monsieur Ferdinand
François Lalande	...	Priest
Didier Bénureau	...	Intern Beauvin
Frédéric Baptiste	...	Freddy

Also Known As:

Les visiteurs - Ils ne sont pas nés d'hier (France) (alternative title)
The Visitors

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Argentina:Atp | South Korea:All | South Korea:12 (DVD rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | Denmark:11 | Australia:M | Finland:K-12/9 | France:U | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Carcassonne, Aude, France

Company:

Alpilles Productions

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Godefroy arrives at Béatrice's, he complains that "there's no longer any hectare of forest". He uses a surface area unit that was invented during the French Revolution.

Quotes:

Jacquouille la Fripouille: Don't drink it
[the potion]
Jacquouille la Fripouille: , Sire! You might turn into a frog, a bat, a goat, or a nun's arse!
Godefroy de Papincourt, Comte de Montmirail: You're right. Drink first!
Jacquouille la Fripouille: Me?
Godefroy de Papincourt, Comte de Montmirail: Let's see if you turn into a nun's arse. If you do, I'll seek revenge.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in L'appât (1995)

Subtitles and All

Sometime soon we'll agree not to be mad at the French. When that happens, look for "Les Visiteurs" on cable or at the video place. The frantic humor of this time-shifting comedy works well both on the French dialogue track and through the somewhat loose paraphrases of the subtitles. Yes, folks, subtitles and all, this is a good one.

Christian Clavier emerged from the Splendide, a French take on Second City, to seize the film comedy market by the throat. Like Jerry Lewis, he is in need of a straight man. Lewis's moved on to the Ding-a-Ling Sisters. Clavier has granite-faced Jean Reno of "French Kiss" and "Mission Impossible", the man with the permanent dix-sept heures shadow across his jowls. Their interaction is spot-on hilarious.

Oddly, the memorable quote from this film is in (sort of) English. "OK" is acceptable Franglais, the Academie notwithstanding. Clavier's character becomes fascinated with the word, shouting "O-Kayyy"! at the least provocation. Listen to my wife and I converse: we echo old Jacqouille all the time.