The Dinner Game (1998) Le dîner de cons (original title)

Director:

Francis Veber

Writer:

Francis Veber (written by)

Release Date:

25 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Each week, Pierre and his friends organize what is called as "un dîner de cons". Everyone brings the dumbest guy he could find as a guest...

Plot Keywords:

Dinner | Mistress | Infidelity | Model Builder | Snobbery

Awards:

5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Thierry Lhermitte	...	Pierre Brochant
Jacques Villeret	...	François Pignon
Francis Huster	...	Juste Leblanc
Daniel Prévost	...	Lucien Cheval
Alexandra Vandernoot	...	Christine Brochant
Catherine Frot	...	Marlène Sasseur
Benoît Bellal	...	Host 1
Jacques Bleu	...	Host 3
Philippe Brigaud	...	Tanner (boomerang thrower)
Michel Caccia	...	Guest 1
Laurent Gendron	...	Guest 2
Mykhaël Georges-Schar	...	Host 2
Edgar Givry	...	Cordier
Pierre-Arnaud Juin	...	Boissonade
Daniel Martin	...	Messignac
Elvire Melliere	...	Gisèle
Pétronille Moss	...	Louisette Blond
Christian Pereira	...	Sorbier
Rémy Roubakha	...	Carlier
Candide Sanchez	...	Guest 3
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Daniel Russo	...	Pascal Meneaux - voice on the phone (uncredited) (voice)

Directed by
Francis Veber

Writing credits
Francis Veber		(written by)

Produced by
Alain Poiré	....	delegate producer

Original Music by
Vladimir Cosma

Cinematography by
Luciano Tovoli

Film Editing by
Georges Klotz

Casting by
Françoise Menidrey

Production Design by
Hugues Tissandier

Art Direction by
Sophie Campbell		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Alain Pitrel

Costume Design by
Jacqueline Bouchard

Makeup Department
Agathe Dupuis	....	hair stylist
Gill Robillard	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Yann Arnaud LeGall	....	production manager
Henri Brichetti	....	production manager
Ghislaine Cauet-Martinotto	....	assistant production manager
Pierre D'Hoffelize	....	production manager
Philippe Desmoulins	....	production manager
Florent Valentin	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christopher Gachet	....	first assistant director
Noura Lauzier	....	second second assistant director (as Nora Lauzier)
Valérie Novel	....	second assistant director
Laurent Petrelli	....	second assistant director
Bernard Seitz	....	assistant director

Art Department
Gilles Baillot	....	set constructor
Jean-Pierre Battaia	....	carpenter
Evelyne Baussant	....	scenic artist
Fabrice Bouchelet	....	carpenter
Roman Cahoreau Gallier	....	painter
Sophie Campbell	....	painter
Mark Dykmeyer	....	set dresser
Caroline Gautier	....	set dresser
Thierry Gratien	....	construction foreman
Elie Guarguir	....	painter
Gilles Guerber-Zaza	....	painter
Virginie Hernvann	....	assistant set decorator
Gilbert Kadyszewski	....	plasterer
Jacques Kazandian	....	upholsterer
Bertrand Laval	....	assistant set decorator
Arnaud Le Roch	....	carpenter (as Laurent Le Roch)
Florent Maillot	....	set designer
André Marchandet	....	head plasterer
Guy Monbillard	....	set dresser (as Guy Montbillard)
Jean-Pierre Nossereau	....	property buyer
Virginie Otte	....	on-set dresser
Pascal Peignet	....	assistant art director
Francis Poirier	....	sculptor
Claude Poulain	....	painter
Brigitte Renard	....	plasterer (as Brigitte James-Renard)
Bruno Sailord	....	scenic artist
Christian Vallat	....	assistant art director
Gilles Boillot	....	assistant production designer (uncredited)
Stéphane Richaud	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bernard Bats	....	sound
Pierre-Yves Bruneel	....	boom operator
Pascal Chauvin	....	sound effects
Gilbert Crozet	....	dubbing sound
Gilbert Crozet	....	post-synchronization engineer
Pascal Dedeye	....	sound effects
Thomas Desjonquères	....	sound editor
Jean Gargonne	....	sound editor
François Groult	....	sound mixer
Francis Perrard	....	sound stereo consultant: Dolby
Bruno Tarrière	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Jérome Miel	....	special effects
Jean-Louis Trinquier	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Daniel Marchetti	....	opticals

Stunts
Jean-Claude Lagniez	....	stunts
Olivier Vitrant	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Yves Agostini	....	camera operator
Thierry Crépin	....	grip
Dominique Delguste	....	first assistant camera
David Koskas	....	still photographer
Jean-Claude LeBras	....	gaffer (as Jean-Claude Le Bras)
Steve Moreau	....	video assistant
Sebastien Pentecouteau	....	second assistant camera
Yvon Sausseau	....	key grip
Hervé Denis	....	electrician (uncredited)
Alain Dreze	....	grip (uncredited)
Alain Ducousset	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Sabine Lancelin	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Marie-Sylvie Caillierez	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Aurore Vicente	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Viviane Gourvest	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Philippe Catherine	....	musician: guitar solos
Vladimir Cosma	....	conductor
Edouard Dubois	....	music arranger
Pierre-Richard Muller	....	music producer
Romane	....	musician

Transportation Department
Jean-Michel Bertin	....	driver

Other crew
Christophe Chauveau	....	location scout
Françoise Della Libera	....	assistant administrator
Hervé Hillien	....	assistant: Mr. Veber
Laurence Lemaire-Bazi	....	script supervisor (as Laurence Lemaire)
Daniel Marchetti	....	title designer
Roger Pera	....	administrator
Brigitte Renaud	....	craft service
Dominique Segall	....	press attache
Dominique Segall	....	press promotion
Florent Valentin	....	location manager
Bobane Veselinovic	....	location manager (as Slobodan Veselinovic)

Thanks
Jean-Patrick Flande	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Gaumont (co-production)
• EFVE (co-production)
• TF1 Films Production (co-production)
• TPS Cinéma (participation)

Distributors

• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• Gaumont/Columbia TriStar Home Video (GCTHV) (1999) (France) (DVD)
• Gaumont Blu-ray Disc (2009) (France) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Lions Gate Films (1999) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Cine 3 (Argentina)
• DNC Home Entertainment (Italy) (DVD)
• EDKO Film (Hong Kong)
• Filmes Castello Lopes (Portugal)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Pathé Distribution (2000) (UK) (VHS)
• Sherlock Media S.L. (Spain)
• Teleview International (1998) (Lebanon) (TV) (Middle East)
• Tobis Filmkunst (Germany)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• L.A.M. Larghetto Music  music publisher
• Disques Pomme Music  soundtrack
• Sony Music France  soundtrack: Distribution (as Sony Music)
• Sarabande  music production
• Clinique Alleray-Labrouste, Paris  thanks
• Film Media Consultant  thanks
• France Rail Publicite  thanks
• Kodak  film stock
• Lumex  lighting
• Mairie de Paris  thanks
• Préfecture de Police de Paris  thanks
• Pyral  magnetic tape
• S. I. S.  sound post-production

Also Known As:

"Le dîner de cons" - France (original title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language

Runtime:

80 min | Turkey:75 min (TV version)

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Chile:TE | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | New Zealand:M | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Evecquemont, Yvelines, France

Company:

Gaumont

Trivia:

Gérard Depardieu was considered for the role of Pierre Brochant.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning, the train has two locomotives, then with four, then back to two.

Quotes:

[last lines]
François Pignon:[repeatedly] I'll call her back, everything will work out!
Pierre Brochant:You idiot! What an idiot!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Francis Veber artisan du rire: La saga Pignon (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

Le temps ne fait rien à l'affaire

a great comedy held up by two great actors

Before this film was released in 1998, it was, originally, a play. This play was performed on stage in 1993 and had a huge success. Francis Weber felt like adapting his play (he was the author) for the screen and he had a good idea. The action takes place in a beautiful Parisian flat. Pierre Brochant (Thierry Lhermitte) lives there and each week, he and his friends take part in a special dinner: a "dîner de cons". They've got to invite someone silly and the one who has found the best dumb is the winner of the evening. Brochant has chosen François Pignon (Jacques Villeret) and before going to the dinner, Brochant has invited him in his flat. Then, in a few minutes, everything's wrong: his wife's leaving him, he's got a backache, he's got to face his mistress etc.... and Pignon is a bit responsible for this! There are two main types of comic in this film: on one hand the comic comes from the dialogues which are very funny with a lot of successful puns. Moreover they're never vulgar. On the other hand, the comic comes from the situation where Brochant is: not only has he got to face Pignon but he's got to face unexpected events like the arrival of a fiscal inspector (Daniel Prévost). Above all, the film is worth watching for its incredible main actors: Lhermitte who is the perfect hypocrite and Villeret who is full of goodwill and kindness in spite of its idiocy and its naivety (in 1999, he won the Oscar for the best actor in France and he deserved it). Moreover, the other actors are very well used, especially Francis Huster and Daniel Prévost who are both excellent. The only weaknesses of this film are the moment where Prévost comes in Brochant's flat and then the plot is resolved very laboriously. The other moment is when Pignon is calling Mrs Brochant to tell her his real thoughts about her husband: you've got a quite conventional dialogue. Nevertheless, if you want to have a good time, watch this comedy it's worth watching!