The Brain (1969)

When NATO transfers some of its funds from Paris to Brussels by train, a criminal mastermind posing as a British colonel plans to steal it but two petty French thieves also have the same intent.

Director:

Gérard Oury

Writers:

Marcel Jullian, Gérard Oury

Stars:

Jean-Paul Belmondo, Bourvil, David Niven

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean-Paul Belmondo	...	Arthur Lespinasse
Bourvil	...	Anatole
David Niven	...	Colonel Carol Matthews
Eli Wallach	...	Frankie Scannapieco
Silvia Monti	...	Sofia
Raymond Gérôme	...	Le commissaire bègue
Jacques Balutin	...	L'inspecteur Pochet
Henri Attal	...	Un homme de la bande
Yves Barsacq	...	Un gardien de prison
Jacques Ciron	...	L'inspecteur Duboeuf
Robert Dalban	...	Le policier militaire belge enrhumé
Mario David	...	Jean-François - un antiquaire
Raoul Delfosse	...	Un policier militaire belge
Tommy Duggan	...	Le superintendant Cummings
Henri Génès	...	Le gardien-chef de la prison de Poissy

Storyline

Arthur and Anatole are two little robbers. They want to rob money, money that will travel in a special train from Paris to Bruxelles. They don't know that other people have planned to do the same thing.

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Plot Keywords:

time bomb | slapstick comedy | train | new york city | cat burglar | 

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Taglines:

"The Brain" is Rocking the World with Laughter!

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

France Italy

Language:

French English German

Release Date:

13 November 1969 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Brain

Filming Locations:

Carnaby Street, Soho, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$3,600,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$41,600,000, 31 December 1969

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont International,Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film has been shot in two languages (French and English) with the same cast.

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Goofs

In an early segment, a TV news update announces a big clue about the crook known as The Brain. He has a very large cerebrum and under stress or anxiety, his neck can't support his head. So, his head drops to one side (left or right). The next scene shows Col. Matthews with his head dropping to the side. He is then identified and flees in a police chase. He holds his head upright with his hand until he gets into his limo and escapes. But he never has another instance in which his head drops in the film. Not even in several scenes that would be highly stressful to any human being - i.e., when his apartment is all but destroyed, or when he's stuffed in a box, or when he's being chased and shot at.

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Quotes

Col. Carol Matthews: [watching Sofia take a shower right in front of him] Your wife?
Frankie Scannapieco: No, my sister.
Col. Carol Matthews: Ah, she's still quite fetching.

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Connections

Referenced in Particka: Episode #3.10 (2012)

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Soundtracks

Cento Giorni
Written by Mogol - Soffici
Performed by Caterina Caselli

User Reviews

One of the best comedy movies ever

I saw this movie more than ten years ago but I still remember it as one of the funniest comedies I've ever seen. It's very close to the Pink Panther's type of comedy and has an excellent character played by David Niven. It is the type of humor that does not appeal to the grotesque or strictly obvious and very alike what you could call a Peter Sellers type of movie.