Tonight on TV: This film has remained the biggest success at the French box office of the last 30 years

La Grande Vadrouille: an irresistible duo

Released in 1966 and directed by Gérard Oury, The Big Mop is much more than just a comedy: it is a pillar of French cinema culture. The story, anchored in the Occupation, cleverly combines humor and adventure, with anthology scenes that left their mark on audiences. Following the misadventures of two ordinary Frenchmen – an irascible conductor and a slightly naive house painter – the film offers an incredible escapade through occupied France, together with escaping British paratroopers.

The enormous success of The Big Mop relies heavily on the magic of its main duo. Bourvil and Louis de Funès, two giants of humor, embody completely opposite characters : Stanislas Lefort, the authoritarian and maniacal Parisian conductor (played by de Funès), and Augustin Bouvet, the quiet and somewhat clumsy painter (played by Bourvil).

Difficult to talk about The Big Mop not to mention his cult scenes, which many know by heart. From the passage in Turkish baths where the two heroes try to escape the German soldiers in their underwear, the escape into the monastery and the dangerous crossing over the rooftops, every moment is engraved in the history of French cinema. These scenes, burlesque and rhythmic, wonderfully illustrate the art of comedy according to Gérard Oury, who was able to capture the essence of French humor in all its subtlety.

30 years at the helm of the French box office

With its 17 million spectators in theaters, The Big Mop it has long been the absolute record of the French box office. He remained for more than 30 years the most watched film in French cinemasuntil it is overtaken by Titanicand subsequently from Welcome to the Ch’ti. However, its popularity remains intact and continues to attract new generations thanks to its regular rebroadcasts and timeless humor.

Source: Cine Serie

Ray

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