Le Monocle rit jaune (1964)
Directed by Georges Lautner

Film Review

Prolific craftsman and major figure of French comedy since the early sixties, film director Georges Lautner released this black-and-white Franco-Italian comedy on 16/9/1964.  The film is based on a book by Colonel Jacques Remy.  Although the book has nothing parodic about it, Remy agreed to give a helping hand on the film's screenplay.  This spoof of the spy thriller is the last part of a trilogy which began with Le Monocle noir and L'Oeil du monocle.  Le Monocle rit jaune follows another madcap investigation by Commander Dromard, a.k.a. Le Monocle, who is assigned to check up on a 'peaceful' Japanese sect which neutralises scientists and sabotages military installations.

On its release, the film divided the critics and left its audience somewhat perplexed.  Those who liked the film praised it for its attractive location photography in Hong Kong and Macao and a fine score from Michel Magne which calls to mind Dave Brubeck's Take Five.  Some considered it to be the best of the Monocle films, its main assets being its suspense and good-natured humour, whilst the crisp witty dialogue added to its entertainment value.  Paul Meurisse's flair for improvisation enhances a film which might otherwise have been a little lacklustre.  Although he has a tendency to overact, Meurisse is irresistible as he plays the phlegmatic Commander Dromard for the last time.

Lautner apparently lost interest in the film whilst making it, possibly so that he would not have to make another Monocle film.  He was so offended by Meurisse's casual treatment of his co-star Barabara Steele that he decided never to work with the actor again.  Here, Meurisse is ably supported by two familiar faces, Marcel Dalio and Robert Dalban, a ubiquitous French actor who was partnered with Meurisse in the previous Monocle films.  The jazz guitarist Olivier Despax is less successful as the stupid and annoying embassy attaché.  Like many musicians, Despax tried his luck in the film business but without much success, and he died tragically young, at the age of 35.

The American actor Edward Meeks (frequently seen in French films) is ironically cast as a British major.  The British actress Barbara Steele was imposed on Lautner by the Italian co-producers.  At the time, Steele was best known for starring in a series of impressive Gothic horror movies, most famously Mario Bava's The Mask of Satan (1960).  In a small part is the well respected actress Renée Saint-Cyr, who was in fact Lautner's mother and appeared in ten of his films.  Lino Ventura makes a brief cameo appearance in the film, just as Meurisse had done in Lautneur's Les Tontons flingueurs the previous year.  Despite the mixed reviews, Le Monocle rit jaune was a box office hit, attracting a respectable audience of 1.35 million.

Film Synopsis

After several attacks on nuclear power stations, Commandant Dromard of the French secret services is sent to Hong Kong to locate a suspect named Bergourian, but the man is killed before he can talk.  Dromard and his right-hand man Poussin are contacted by Frédéric de la Perouse, a young attaché at the French consulate.  So as not to attract attention, Dromard stays with old Mayerifsky, a local agent, in the Chinese neighbourhood.  A banker who did business with Bergourian runs into Dromard and tells him that he feels his life is threatened.  When, a short while later, the banker is murdered, Sidney, the British chief of police, agrees that Dromard should continue his investigation, on the condition that he remains in Hong Kong.  But Dromard receives a message that the airport's professional mourner would like to meet him in Macao.  Arriving at the meeting point, Dromard finds the woman has drowned, tangled in fishing nets...