Le Jumeau (1984) - film review

Whilst holidaying on the Côte d’Azur, Matthias Duval makes the acquaintance of two wealthy American heiresses, Liz and Betty.  He adores both of them, and so, realising that he cannot have the two for himself, he pretends he has twin brother, Mathieu.  Whilst Lis is occupied with Matthias, the extrovert adventurer, Betty gets engaged to the timid intellectual Mathieu.  All is well until Mathias discovers that the two women are desperate to marry him for one reason – so that they can inherit their part of a huge fortune…

Le Jumeau is a boisterous, typically Gallic, sex comedy starring the incomparable Pierre Richard, arguably one of France’s funniest comic actors.  The film was directed by Yves Robert, who, despite being best known for his two-part drama La Gloire de mon père / Le Château de ma mere (1990), also directed some of France’s most successful film comedies.  This is far from being Robert’s best work – the plot is overly complicated, the voiceover narration (a device that Robert uses too often in his films) is intrusive and the visual gags are far more amusing than the scripted dialogue.  However, Pierre Richard’s tireless performance keeps the chaotic storyline rolling along, making this a lively and enjoyable farce.  On any account, it’s much better than its tired American remake, Two Much (1995).


© James Travers 2007

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