Ça n'arrive qu'à moi (1985)
Directed by Francis Perrin

Film Review

Ça n'arrive qu'à moi is the last of three films that Francis Perrin directed solo, after Tête à claques (1982) and Le Joli coeur (1984).  Showing some obvious similarities with Francis Veber's La Chèvre (1981), the film is a run-around comedy that is typical in French cinema, most of the plot consisting of a mad, pretty aimless pursuit over the mountains - more juvenile comicbook fare than sophisticated French comedy.  This time, Perrin is partnered with Véronique Genest, who is now best known for her leading role in the popular police drama series Julie Lescaut, which was broadcast on French television from 1992 to 2013.  Genest shows a surprising aptitude for comedy, although it would take a charisma far greater than hers to make her an equal partner to Perrin.

The only cast member who is not diminished by Perrin's overwhelming screen persona is Bernard Blier, and it's no surprise therefore that the scenes with Perrin and Blier are the best and funniest the film has to offer, particularly the one in which they get themselves trapped in a death lift.  François Perrot, by contrast, barely gets a look in - despite being the villain of the piece he gets lost in the background, along with his two laughably inept henchmen.  It's pretty obvious that by this stage Perrin now sees himself as the big movie star, and the film - showy, vacuous and silly - looks like a sad monument to his vanity.

Daft and rambling though the film is, there's some fun to be had spotting all of the film references that Perrin cheekily crams into it.  Blier's dramatic arrival by helicopter at the film's climax, accompanied to Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries, is a none-too-subtle steal from Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979).  Earlier in the film, Perrin and Genest are stuck on a mountain road behind a van, which (appropriately) has the poster for Henri Verneuil's Cent mille dollars au soleil (1964) plastered on the back.  Ça n'arrive qu'à moi was far from being a flop - it attracted an audience of almost one million - but it was significantly less successful than the previous two films Perrin had directed, and this may have been a factor in his decision to give up directing.  The next (and final) film he scripted, Le Débutant (1986) was directed by Daniel Janneau.

Film Synopsis

François Pépin is the unluckiest man in the world.  One Christmas, the hapless journalist thinks his luck has finally changed when he gets to report that Prudence Guilledou, the daughter of an important press baron, spent the night in a police cell.  Alas, before the story makes it into print François's newspaper is taken over by Guilledou and he finds he has a mortal enemy in both Guilledou and his unforgiving offspring.  But, as it turns out, Prudence brings nothing but good luck to François and in no time he has gained his boss's confidence.   Despite being used to threats, Guilledou is sent into a panic when someone threatens his daughter's life unless he pays a large ransom.  François accompanies Prudence to the drop off point where the ransom money is to be collected.  Unbeknown to her escort, Prudence has replaced the money in the suitcase with a bomb.   Naturally, the blackmailers are unhappy by this subterfuge and a long chase through the French countryside ensues...