OSS 117: Le Caire nid d'espions (2006)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Michel Hazanavicius

Writers:

Jean Bruce (certain original characters)
Jean-François Halin (screenplay)

Release Date:

9 May 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime

Plot:

Secret agent OSS 117 foils Nazis, beds local beauties, and brings peace to the Middle East.

Plot Keywords:

Agent | Secret Agent | Nazi | Friend | Brunette

Awards:

4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Jean Dujardin	...	Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath, alias OSS 117
Bérénice Bejo	...	Larmina El Akmar Betouche
Aure Atika	...	La princesse Al Tarouk
Philippe Lefebvre	...	Jack Jefferson
Constantin Alexandrov	...	Setine
Saïd Amadis	...	Le ministre égyptien
Laurent Bateau	...	Gardenborough
Claude Brosset	...	Le patron
François Damiens	...	Raymond Pelletier
Youssef Hamid	...	L'imam
Khalid Maadour	...	Le suiveur
Arsène Mosca	...	Loktar
Abdellah Moundy	...	Slimane (as Abdallah Moundy)
Eric Prat	...	Plantieux
Richard Sammel	...	Moeller

Also Known As:

OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (USA)

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | France:U | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:13 | Brazil:14

Filming Locations:

Casablanca, Morocco

Company:

Gaumont

Trivia:

Scenes of this film were shot in Casablanca, Morocco, at the "Habuse", a tourist area with many shops as well as homes, with small alleyways. The shopkeepers were paid a days projected income to close shop for the day. One homeowner's doorway was to be prominently featured, but the man would not step out of his doorway. He was trying to squeeze more money out of the producers. As a result, the crew built a back-drop made with some 2X4's and a Moroccan rug. About 20 minutes later several conservative Muslims staged a sit-in to try to get money. The filmmakers decided to shoot elsewhere in the city.

Goofs:

Continuity: In Plantieux's office, Hubert finishes his glass of bourbon, downing the last of it in one gulp. Yet a moment later, without the glass having been refilled, he again finishes his glass of bourbon in the same manner.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in JCVD (2008)

Soundtrack:

Bambino

Sit Back,Pass The Popcorn & Just Enjoy

This is the latest entry in the long series of films with the French agent, O.S.S. 117 (the French answer to James Bond). The series was launched in the early 1950's, and spawned at least eight films (none of which was ever released in the U.S.). 'O.S.S.117:Cairo,Nest Of Spies' is a breezy little comedy that should not...repeat NOT, be taken too seriously. Our protagonist finds himself in the middle of a spy chase in Egypt (with Morroco doing stand in for Egypt) to find out about a long lost friend. What follows is the standard James Bond/Inspector Cloussou kind of antics. Although our man is something of an overt xenophobe,sexist,homophobe, it's treated as pure farce (as I said, don't take it too seriously). Although there is a bit of rough language & cartoon violence, it's basically okay for older kids (ages 12 & up). As previously stated in the subject line, just sit back,pass the popcorn & just enjoy.