Diamond Bikini

I must have seen the movie 4 or 5 times before reading the book - in French - and honestly I have a preference for the movie. This is a great piece of madness that you can put right between King of hearts, The Devil by the tail or even A clockwork orange... Clearly something snapped in the early 70's and resulted in unforgettable quotes, crazy design, clothes, hairdos and dance styles. And to have Ventura and Jean Yanne playing a couple of crooked rednecks just sums it up. Of course for it's even better with Mireille Darc at the top of her... art let's say. Maybe it's a movie one should see only when high as a kite, but I would say it's a must see.

This movie is based on the book "Bikini Diamond" by Charles Williams that has been adapted obviously for french audience with a bunch of very famous french actors of the time and some extras obviously not speaking french and awfully voiced-over giving a strange mix. I doubt the movie was entirely shot in the USA, maybe not at all.

The book is one of the funniest I've ever read, which could have made a great movie. Alas the director wasn't satisfied with this and wanted to make it his own way so he added car stunts and sexy scenes. (things he has put in "taxi", 30 years later with bigger success)

The result is quite strange, Lino Ventura and Jean Yanne are not rough enough for the characters they play. Dufilho as a Noah-like prophet is OK (despite the weird accent he puts on). The kid is awful, Mireille Darc shines and is as sexy as hell. This movie didn't age very well, the colors have faded (on my copy at least). Another weird thing : modernized Beethoven's 5th for soundtrack.

For fans of Mireille Darc or Lino Ventura 4/10