OSS 117: Lost in Rio (2009)

Another mission of world-known French secret agent leads him to exotic Brazil.

Director:

Michel Hazanavicius

Writers:

Jean Bruce (character), Jean-François Halin (screenplay)

Stars:

Jean Dujardin, Louise Monot, Rüdiger Vogler

6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Dujardin	...	OSS 117
Louise Monot	...	Dolorès Koulechov
Rüdiger Vogler	...	Von Zimmel
Alex Lutz	...	Heinrich
Reem Kherici	...	Carlotta
Pierre Bellemare	...	Lesignac
Ken Samuels	...	Trumendous
Serge Hazanavicius	...	Staman
Laurent Capelluto	...	Kutner
Cirillo Luna	...	Hippie ''pomme d'amour''
Moon Dailly	...	La comtesse
Walter Shnorkell	...	Fayolle
Philippe Hérisson	...	Mayeux (as Philippe Herisson)
Nicky Marbot	...	Castaing
Christelle Cornil	...	Mlle Ledentu

Storyline

Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, A.K.A. OSS 117, is the French spy considered by his superiors to be the best in the business. The year is 1967 - he's been sent on a mission to Rio de Janeiro, to find a former high-ranking Nazi who went into exile in South America after the war. His eventful investigation takes him all across Brazil, from Rio to Brasilia and the Iguazu Falls, accompanied by a charming Mossad agent who is also looking for the Nazi. The man is charming, and so is the young woman. Set to the strains of bossa nova, their tale is by turns an adventure and a love story.

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Plot Keywords:

1960s | latin america | south america | spy | brazil | 

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Taglines:

The Pride of French Intelligence Returns

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

This spy spoof movie, OSS 117: Lost in Rio (2009) (OSS 117: Lost in Rio) is the first sequel and second movie in the new French series of OSS 117 movies, the first being OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006) (OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies). Interestingly, these two movies utilize the same consecutive settings of Cairo/Egypt and Rio/Brazil as were featured in the consecutive James Bond 1970s spy movies, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) (Cairo/Egypt) and Moonraker (1979) (Rio/Brazil).

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Goofs

During the beach scene with the hippies, Minnie Ripperton's "Lovin' You" is playing. The movie is set in 1967. "Lovin' You" was not recorded until 1974.

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Quotes

Dolorès Koulechov: You turn me off.
OSS 117: And I don't get it! Explain yourself. I'm a remedy against barbarism, a symbol of...
Dolorès Koulechov: You're old, pretentious, a misogynist, full of yourself, vain, borderline racist, tacky dresser, childish, not funny. Shall I stop?
OSS 117: A tacky dresser?

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Crazy Credits

There is a montage of (poor quality) travel snaps from OSS117's camera, as well as a short film clip of the duck-shaped pedal boat, being pedalled by OSS117, in Rio.

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Connections

References Fun in Acapulco (1963)

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Soundtracks

One Note Bossa
Written by Nicolas Folmer

User Reviews

rehearsal for The Artist?

I am yet to see The Artist, the film that conquered the Academy preferences and received the Oscar for the Best Film, as well as the Best Actor award for Jean Dujardin. I had recorded however about one year ago one of the previous films made by director Michel Hazanavicius with Dujardin in the principal role as well. Now I included it in the holidays season viewing package, and it was one of the most pleasant and holiday-suited choice that I made.

Lost in Rio (the English title) or Rio ne répond plus happens in the 1960s, when most of the novels of Jean Bruce were written. Bruce's hero Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath was a replica of James Bond, one of the many created in the decades after the apparition of the novels of Jan Fleming, but he had a French touch and Gallic humor, which is the focus of the interpretation of director Hazanavicius. At no moment does he try to be politically correct, actually under the cover of making a film about the 60s he allows to himself to mock and exaggerate stereotypes of French, German and Israelis, Nazis and Nazi-hunters, macho men and babe-shaped women. The result is pretty funny.

Do not invest too much into probing the credibility of the story, sit, relax and prepare for a few good laughs. If you follow this path there are good chances to enjoy this film. Jean Dujardin is certainly a great actor, and watching his work is a delight. An eyebrow, a faint smile or an hysterical laugh can sustain a full gag. He is in good company. I remember some of the French comedies of the 60s and they were really good, not only because they were blessing by actors such as Louis de Funes, Fernandel and Bourvil, but also because they allowed themselves to be crazy and ignore the social conventions. Everything was fair game for laughing. Films like this one, even if they do not hit gold as The Artist contain the promise of starting to build another significant lot of comedies in the French cinema.

Details

Official Sites:

Gaumont [France] Music Box Films [United States]

Country:

France

Language:

French English Hebrew Portuguese

Release Date:

15 April 2009 (France)

Also Known As:

OSS 117: Lost in Rio

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,243, 9 May 2010

Gross USA:

$89,375

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$21,924,245

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mandarin Films, Gaumont, M6 Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1