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IMDbPro

Delusions of Grandeur

Original title: La folie des grandeurs
  • 19711971
  • PGPG
  • 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
7.2K
YOUR RATING
Louis de Funès and Yves Montand in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
Watch ’Bande-annonce [OV]’
Play trailer3:18
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Adventure
  • Comedy
  • History
In 17th-century Spain, the Minister of Finance tries to dishonor the queen with an overly complex plan.In 17th-century Spain, the Minister of Finance tries to dishonor the queen with an overly complex plan.In 17th-century Spain, the Minister of Finance tries to dishonor the queen with an overly complex plan.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
7.2K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Gérard Oury
  • Writers
    • Gérard Oury
    • Danièle Thompson
    • Marcel Jullian
  • Stars
    • Louis de Funès
    • Yves Montand
    • Alice Sapritch
Top credits
  • Director
    • Gérard Oury
  • Writers
    • Gérard Oury
    • Danièle Thompson
    • Marcel Jullian
  • Stars
    • Louis de Funès
    • Yves Montand
    • Alice Sapritch
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 25User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Bande-annonce [OV]
    Trailer 3:18
    Bande-annonce [OV]

    Photos122

    Louis de Funès and Yves Montand in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
    Louis de Funès in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
    Louis de Funès and Yves Montand in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
    Louis de Funès in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
    Louis de Funès and Yves Montand in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
    Gérard Oury and Karin Schubert in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
    Louis de Funès and Yves Montand in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
    Louis de Funès and Yves Montand in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
    Louis de Funès and Yves Montand in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
    Louis de Funès and Yves Montand in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
    Louis de Funès in Delusions of Grandeur (1971)
    Delusions of Grandeur (1971)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Louis de Funès
    Louis de Funès
    • Don Salluste de Bazanas Don Salluste de Bazan
    Yves Montand
    Yves Montand
    • Blazeas Blaze
    Alice Sapritch
    Alice Sapritch
    • Dona Juanaas Dona Juana
    Karin Schubert
    Karin Schubert
    • La Reineas La Reine
    Alberto de Mendoza
    Alberto de Mendoza
    • Le Roias Le Roi
    Don Jaime de Mora y Aragón
    Don Jaime de Mora y Aragón
    • Briego, Un Grand D'Espagneas Briego, Un Grand D'Espagne
    Eduardo Fajardo
    Eduardo Fajardo
    • Un Grand d'Espagneas Un Grand d'Espagne
    Antonio Pica
    Antonio Pica
    • Un Grand d'Espagneas Un Grand d'Espagne
    Joaquín Solís
    • Un Grand d'Espagneas Un Grand d'Espagne
    • (as Joachim Solis)
    Venantino Venantini
    Venantino Venantini
    • Del Bastoas Del Basto
    Gabriele Tinti
    Gabriele Tinti
    • Don Cesaras Don Cesar
    Paul Préboist
    Paul Préboist
    • Le muetas Le muet
    Sal Borgese
    Sal Borgese
    • Le borgneas Le borgne
    • (as Salvatore Borgese)
    Astrid Frank
    Astrid Frank
    • Court lady with infantas Court lady with infant
    Robert Le Béal
      Clément Michu
      La Polaca
      La Polaca
      • Danceras Dancer
      Leopoldo Trieste
      Leopoldo Trieste
      • Giuseppe, the inventoras Giuseppe, the inventor
      • Director
        • Gérard Oury
      • Writers
        • Gérard Oury
        • Danièle Thompson
        • Marcel Jullian
      • All cast & crew
      • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        The role of Blaze was written with Bourvil in mind, which would have marked Gérard Oury's fourth collaboration with the actor, and his third time pairing him alongside Louis de Funès, after The Sucker (1965) and La Grande Vadrouille (1966). After Bourvil passed away from cancer in September 1970, Oury and co-writer Danièle Thompson were at a party talking to actress Simone Signoret, who suggested her husband Yves Montand take on the role, which was completely rewritten. Oury compared the two takes on the character to valets made famous in plays by Molière, with Bourvil's being a "Sganarelle" and Montand's a "Scapin".
      • Connections
        Featured in Montand à la rencontre de Pagnol (1986)
      • Soundtracks
        Générique
        Written and Performed by Michel Polnareff

      User reviews25

      Review
      Top review
      8/10
      "The man with the forty faces per minute"
      I've seen many comedies with Luis De Funes and have been his fan as long as I can remember. His participation in a movie promises good time, plenty of physical comedy, funny mess of grandiose proportions and up roaring laughs. He was "The man with the forty faces per minute", the little volcano or small but powerful dynamo machine whose energy could supply electricity to a town of the average size , whose hilarious hyperactivity, perfect for a comic ever-changing face, and the ego of gigantic size in such miniature frame always produced a highly comic effect. All his trademarks are in full display in the updated version of the tragedy by Victor Hugo Ruy Blas, La folie des grandeurs (1971) or Delusions of Grandeur. Ruy Blas has been adapted to the screen several times including 1948 film with Jean Mairet and 2002 version with Gerard Depardieu. Oury's film formally follows the Hugo's story but with De Funes in the cast, you would not expect it to be a serious political drama, and you will be absolutely right. The film takes place in 17th century Spain and centers around a practical joke played on the queen of Spain by Don Salluste de Bazan, the rich, greedy and backstabbing tax collector for revenge. Don Salluste disguises his servant Blaze (Ives Montand) as a nobleman and takes him to the king's court. Attractive, funny, and suave, Blaze saves the king from the bomb, becomes popular, is appointed a tax collector instead of Salluste, and conquers the queen's heart. Don Salluste returns to take his revenge by notifying the king with the anonymous letter about queen's infidelity. The final act that brings together Salluste, Blaze, Salluste's nephew Don Cesar de Bazan whom his loving uncle sold as a slave to the Sahara barbarians, the furious jealous king, the queen who is in love with Blaze and her Cerberus like dueña, old virgin Donna Juana (very funny Alice Sapritch) who is also passionately in love with Blaze is non-stopping laugh that left me in stitches. La folie des grandeurs, directed by Gérard Oury, adapted by Oury's daughter Danièle Thomson, and starring Louis de Funès (Don Salluste) and Yves Montand (Blaze) is based on the serious drama but it is so deliciously silly, dizzyingly fast, absurd, and hilarious that you would laugh even when you know how silly it is. Ives Montand replaced Bourvil who was initially meant to play Blaze, and who had a great chemistry with De Funes on the screen nicely balancing latter's super activity and aggressiveness with his gentle naiveté and kindness. But as Bourvil died in 1970, Yves Montand ultimately got the role and proved to be quite good in a comedy even though the viewers were used to see him playing the cool and cynic characters in the thrillers and dramas.

      As always with De Funes, he practically owns the movie. While watching " La folie des grandeurs" for the first time last night I could not help laughing hard and loud even knowing how silly and over the top the movie was but laughing even more because of it. This morning, I began laughing again just recalling De Funes' face and him losing his voice and making some impossible quacking and squeaking noises when caught by surprise in the most hilarious scene of the film. "La folie des grandeurs hold the record as the most successful French film of 1971, the fact that does not surprise me at all.
      helpful•5
      1
      • Galina_movie_fan
      • Apr 23, 2009

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • December 13, 1971 (France)
      • Countries of origin
        • France
        • Spain
        • Italy
        • West Germany
      • Official site
        • Gaumont (France)
      • Languages
        • French
        • German
      • Also known as
        • Dvorske intrige
      • Filming locations
        • Palace of Charles V, The Alhambra, Granada, Andalucía, Spain
      • Production companies
        • Gaumont International
        • Mars Film
        • Coral Films
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Box office

      Edit
      • Budget
        • FRF 20,000,000 (estimated)
      See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

      Technical specs

      Edit
      • Runtime
        1 hour 25 minutes
      • Sound mix
        • Mono
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.66 : 1

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