La Soif D'or
(THE THIRST FOR GOLD) ((FRENCH))
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Urbain Donnadieu ... Christian Clavier
Grandma Zezette ... Tsilla Chelton
Fleurette ... Catherine Jacob
Jacques ... Philippe Khorsand
"The Thirst for Gold" is a frenetic and excessive comedy about greed that should do biz on the strength of comedy helmer Gerard Oury's rep and comedy staple Christian Clavier's increased marquee value after boffo local hit "Les Visiteurs."
Following cute Monty Pythonesque opening credits, pic's tone is set with a madcap sequence of Clavier chasing a 500-franc note through traffic at Place de la Concorde and finally nailing the wind-borne bill on a pile of dog excrement.
Clavier plays an avaricious cheapskate who's embezzled a fortune from his prefab-home company before the business reverts to his estranged wife (Catherine Jacob), a former tax-fraud inspector who roped him into marriage.
In cahoots with his equally greedy grandma (Tsilla Chelton, who played "Tatie Daniele"), he plans to smuggle to Switzerland his stash of gold bars, hidden in the wall of a model home transported on a trailer. Clavier's wife and trusted chauffeur, who have secretly been an item for years, realize they've been rooked and set out to intercept the gold.
Result is a prolonged, often bawdy chase that sports good, if not inspired, gags and adequate comic timing, though full-bore perfs can't keep the intrigue from flagging toward the end. Oury settles for giggles and a few well-executed stunts, with no subtext to deepen the slapstick humor. All the characters are basically unpleasant.
Lensing is perfunctory but makes good use of Paris locations.
LOCARNO FEST
Camera (color), Tonino Delli Colli; editor, Pierre Gilette; music, Vladimir Cosma; production design, Willy Holt; costume design, Catherine Leterrier; sound (Dolby), Alain Sempe; special effects , Jean-Louis Trinquier. Reviewed at Bretagne Cinema, Paris, Sept. 5, 1993. Running time: 84 MIN.
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