Delusions of Grandeur (1971)

In 17th-century Spain, the Minister of Finance tries to dishonor the queen with an overly complex plan.

Director:

Gérard Oury

Writers:

Gérard Oury, Danièle Thompson

Stars:

Louis de Funès, Yves Montand, Alice Sapritch

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Louis de Funès	...	Don Salluste de Bazan
Yves Montand	...	Blaze
Alice Sapritch	...	Dona Juana
Karin Schubert	...	La Reine
Alberto de Mendoza	...	Le Roi
Don Jaime de Mora y Aragón	...	Briego, Un Grand D'Espagne
Eduardo Fajardo	...	Un Grand d'Espagne
Antonio Pica	...	Un Grand d'Espagne
Joaquín Solís	...	Un Grand d'Espagne (as Joachim Solis)
Venantino Venantini	...	Del Basto
Gabriele Tinti	...	Don Cesar
Paul Préboist	...	Le muet
Sal Borgese	...	Le borgne (as Salvatore Borgese)
Astrid Frank	...	Court lady with infant
Robert Le Béal	...	(as Robert Le Beal)

Storyline

Don Salluste, a petty tyrant in his own home and minister of the King of Spain, falls from grace. Wanting revenge, he tries to compromize the Queen with his valet Blaze, introduced as his cousin. But poor Blaze gets stuck with a rather repulsive duenna, who is madly in love with him and very keen on getting her way. This wild comedy takes off at a dashing pace set by the De Funes, Montand and Sapritch trio.

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Plot Keywords:

male objectification | time bomb | reference to diego velazquez | 17th century | tax collector | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | History

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

The costumes are partly inspired by the painting Las Meninas by Diego Velasquez.

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Connections

Featured in Louis de Funès ou Le pouvoir de faire rire (2003)

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Soundtracks

Flamenco Blaze
Written and Performed by Michel Polnareff

User Reviews

A classic romp showcasing Louis de Funes' fantastic talent.

French comedy has a fine tradition of frantic physical performance, and Louis de Funes represents the epitome of this art. Backed up by a strong supporting cast, this film contains some delightfully absurd and inventive physical humour, with timing that shames many contemporary comedy actors. The gags are natural and spontaneous, the musketeer-era sets and costumes are fine, and the final resolution is both satisfying and unpredictable.

This is such an effortless film to watch, it would be easy to dismiss it as lightweight. This film is pure gold however, and the skill of Funes and Montand is undeniable. If the more recent 'Les Visiteurs' appealed to you, this film will be well worth seeking out.

Details

Official Sites:

Gaumont [France]

Country:

France Spain Italy West Germany

Language:

French German

Release Date:

13 December 1971 (France)

Also Known As:

Delusions of Grandeur

Filming Locations:

Palace of Charles V, The Alhambra, Granada, Andalucía, Spain

Box Office

Budget:

FRF20,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Gaumont International, Mars Film, Coral Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1