The Exchange Student (1967)

Charles Bosquier, a role apparently written for French comedy superstar Louis de Funès, is the dictatorial headmaster of a French strict boarding school. No father could be deeper shocked ... See full summary »

Director:

Jean Girault

Writers:

Jacques Vilfrid (screenplay), Jean Girault (screenplay)

Stars:

Louis de Funès, Ferdy Mayne, Martine Kelly

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Louis de Funès	...	Charles Bosquier
Ferdy Mayne	...	MacFarrell
Martine Kelly	...	Shirley MacFarrell
François Leccia	...	Philippe Bosquier
Olivier De Funès	...	Gérard Bosquier
Claude Gensac	...	Isabelle Bosquier
Maurice Risch	...	Stéphane Michonnet
Jacques Dynam	...	Croizac, le livreur de charbon
Dominique Davray	...	Rose
Mario David	...	L'automobiliste
Jean St. Clair
Christiane Muller	...	La bonne des Bosquier
Denise Provence	...	La comtesse
Françoise Girault	...	Une vacancière avec le chien
Silvia Dionisio	...	Une vacancière avec le chien (as Sylvia Dionisio)

Storyline

Charles Bosquier, a role apparently written for French comedy superstar Louis de Funès, is the dictatorial headmaster of a French strict boarding school. No father could be deeper shocked to find one of his own sons miserably failed his exams, and too embarrassed to enroll him for his own summer-school, so he sends Philippe to England as exchange student. Philippe planned to save his sailing plans with friends by sending fat nerd Stephane Michonnet to England using his name, which comes out when Michonnet gets indigestion. Meanwhile Charles expects his spoiled favorite son, Gérard, who tells daddy about all the other schoolboys for money, to chaperon Shirley, the daughter of his English counterpart MacFarrell, but the girl gets all French boys horny, so even his perfect record is soon gravely soiled as dad spies on them, and he and Shirley join Philippe and his friends. Now the headmaster chases the kids' yacht -incognito, to avoid a scandal- all the way to England, where his ...

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Plot Keywords:

exchange student | male objectification | headmaster | sailing | chase | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy

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Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French English

Release Date:

1 December 1967 (France)

Also Known As:

The Exchange Student

Filming Locations:

Aéroport de Paris, Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Films Copernic,Ascot,Cineraid

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Stuntman and pilot Jean Falloux died in an airplane crash in September 1967 during the filming of the movie. A tribute to his memory is in the beginning credits..

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Goofs

Around 00:49:29, the dog is brown. On the next shot, the dog is beige (and from another race).

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Connections

Referenced in Pastewka: Die Strategie der Schnecke (2006)

User Reviews

Mostly a failure

I quite agree with Elmaruecan82's long and excellent review. I will take away one further star because of the treatment and terrible shooting conditions those poor horses in the last scene obviously had to go through. Just for this I would recommend boycotting this movie! But it's too bad because, as has been observed, the premise is great and a perfect opportunity for a fun, cross-cultural window on 1967, and all the right comedians are in the cast (even Claude Gensac). It's just mostly bad, over-the-top, comedic stuff, deprived altogether of the quasi-surrealism of the best De Funès entries of his prime years. Even himself plays kind of low-key here... And his verbal fighting scenes with his English antagonist are poorly improvised...