Le Coup du parapluie (1980)

Le Coup du parapluie is a French crime film first released in 1980, directed by Gérard Oury.  The film stars Pierre Richard, Valérie Mairesse, Christine Murillo, Gordon Mitchell and Gérard Jugnot.  It has also been released under the title: Umbrella Coup.  Our overall rating for this film is: good.


Small-time actor Grégoire Lecomte thinks he has landed a starring role in a film, in which he is to play a hired killer.  In fact there has been a slight misunderstanding.  Wandering into the wrong office, he was given a “contract” – not by a film producer, but by a mafia chief.  Whilst Grégoire heads off for the South of France, to “execute” his mission, accompanied by his latest amorous conquest, Bunny, the real hired assassin is hot on his heels.  Grégoire doesn’t realise that the umbrella he has been given “for his role” is the assassination weapon – it is tipped with a poison-injecting syringe.  Nor does he realise that Josyane, his previous girlfriend, has checked into his hotel, and is intent on revenge.  It’s going to be a high body count before Grégoire finally realises what is really going on…

Le Coup de parapluie reunites Gérard Oury – the director responsible for some of the best-loved comic films made in France – and Pierre Richard – arguably the funniest French comic film actor – with predictably hilarious results.  It is the second time the two men worked together; previously they collaborated on La Carapate (1978).  This second Oury-Richard extravaganza is a hilarious, and well-constructed parody of a spy thriller, complete with gangster hitmen  (who all come to a very sticky end), stunning set-piece action sequences and a real Bond villain: Gert Froebe (better known as "Goldfinger"). Whilst the spoof isn’t overly original, and the plot is a tad complicated, the comedy barely flags for a moment.  With so many brilliant visual jokes, excruciatingly funny one-liners and a tour-de-force comic performance from Pierre Richard, this has to be one of Oury’s most exuberant and entertaining films.


© James Travers 2006

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