The Gunslingers: This is why Jean Lefebvre sheds a tear during the famous kitchen scene

This series is one of the most famous in French cinema! In Les Tontons flingueurs there is this slightly “timeless” moment when director Georges Lautner brings together Lino Ventura, Bernard Blyer, Frances Blanche, Jean Lefebvre and Robert Dalban for a “special” tasting of very strong alcohol that also turns out to be “brutal”.

Salty joke… finally pepper!

Although it is known that the director apparently substitutes alcohol for tea to film the scene, as actors on the day job are not supposed to get drunk, some actors had a different take on the scene!

In fact, shortly before the cameras started rolling, Frances Blanche and Bernard Blier did the dirty on one of their comrades. The colored water in Jean Lefebvre’s glass was replaced with a mixture of alcohol and pepper!

The actor didn’t pay attention and, as the script predicts, took a big gulp of what he thought was water! Lefebvre, who remains in character, shot in close-up, experiences this mixture and a tear comes out of his eye and slowly runs down his cheek. The effect of pepper is undeniable!

After all, her unhurt face and that tear flowing calmly down her face remain in the final cut, enhancing the comic effect of this tasting sequence. And here’s how the banter between the actors turned into a great moment in cinema!

Explosive success

When it was released on November 27, 1963, Les Tontons flingueurs was a huge success with 3.3 million admissions, and the film will be remembered for its multiple broadcasts on television in the 80s and 90s, so much so that some of its lines have entered everyday language!

For reference, Paramount will attempt a marketing coup by calling the American comedy The Family Jewels and Jerry Lewis Les Taunton Farceer. This honest comedy will reach over 800,000 admissions, and its deceptive title is probably not for nothing…