Summary
Hubert Durieux is a banker in a small French town who is struggling to keep up with the
demands of all the women in his life. Between fending off the unwelcome attentions
of his prim secretary and trying to contain the voluptuous excesses of his nymphomaniac
mistress, he is constantly harassed by his ex-wife to show an interest in his daughter,
who has just fallen out with her husband. Just when things couldn’t get any worse,
his precious white Citroën is stolen under his eyes by a beautiful gypsy girl, Mona.
Hubert tracks down the gypsy to a rubbish dump and is soon under her spell. His
life will never be the same again...
Review
La Gitane is an action comedy which is definitively the work of Philippe de Broca.
Few other French film directors manage to combine the sophisticated comic dialogue which
is the hallmark of a good French comedy with over-the-top action stunts, which are usually
limited to thriller films. Whilst the combination works remarkably well in some
of de Broca’s other films (most notably his 1964 Belmondo film L’homme de Rio and,
more recently in 1997, in his suburb comic version of the historical drama, Le bossu
), it is often less successful. La Gitane illustrates how the formula can
go awry if the plot is lacking and the characterisation not fully developed.
La Gitane has some strong selling points, particularly an excellent comic performance from Claude Brasseur, and some hilariously funny moments. The stunts are certainly impressive, although a few do look just a little violent for a comic film. Unfortunately, the film is weakened by a plot which seems to wander all over the place, being over-reliant on its comic set-pieces to keep things moving. The film’s ending is also a major disappointment. Moreover, Valérie Kaprisky, who plays the gypsy girl, whilst physically stunning, just hasn’t the charisma or acting ability to pull of a lead role of the magnitude she has in this film.
Despite its flaws, the film is overall quite entertaining, with some good comic moments. However, it really does not add up to much, and certainly does not show Philippe de Broca at his best.
© James Travers 2002
Write a review for this film...
La Gitane has some strong selling points, particularly an excellent comic performance from Claude Brasseur, and some hilariously funny moments. The stunts are certainly impressive, although a few do look just a little violent for a comic film. Unfortunately, the film is weakened by a plot which seems to wander all over the place, being over-reliant on its comic set-pieces to keep things moving. The film’s ending is also a major disappointment. Moreover, Valérie Kaprisky, who plays the gypsy girl, whilst physically stunning, just hasn’t the charisma or acting ability to pull of a lead role of the magnitude she has in this film.
Despite its flaws, the film is overall quite entertaining, with some good comic moments. However, it really does not add up to much, and certainly does not show Philippe de Broca at his best.
© James Travers 2002
Write a review for this film...
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Useful links
- Best French films of 2011
- Best French films of the 2000s
- Best of the French New Wave
- Best of French film comedy
- The best 100 French films
- The most successful French films
- Great French filmmakers
Related links
- The best French romantic comedies
- Other French films of the 1980s
- The best French films of the 1980s
- Other French romantic comedies
- Biography and films of Philippe de Broca
To buy this film
Check DVD and Blu-ray availability:
Credits
- Director: Philippe de Broca
- Script: Philippe de Broca, Jean-Loup Hubert
- Photo: Robert Fraisse
- Music: Claude Bolling
- Cast: Claude Brasseur (Hubert Durieux), Valérie Kaprisky (Mona), Martin Lamotte (Le commissaire), Stéphane Audran (Brigitte), Clémentine Célarié (Elsa), Marie-Anne Chazel (Mlle Caprot), Jacques Legras (Pilu), Valérie Rojan (Florence), Rosine Cadoret (Mme Chomard), Henri Virlojeux (Le vieux Gitan), Eliane Barral (Isabelle), Didier Briscadieu (Ricardo), Maurice Travail (Le général), Eric Varelas (José)
- Country: France
- Language: French
- Runtime: 95 min
- Aka: The Gypsy
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To buy La Gitane:

Comedy / Romance


