Le Diable par la queue (1969)
Directed by Philippe de Broca

Film Review

Yves Montand shows great promise as a comic performer in this entertaining farce from Philippe de Broca.   As is fairly typical of popular French comedies of this period, the film's charm lies much more in the idiosyncratic performances of its stars than in its script or direction.  Although Montand's presence dominates the film, there are pleasing - and downright eccentric - contributions from his co-stars, notably Jean-Pierre Marielle, Maria Schell, Marthe Keller and the indispensable Madeleine Renaud.

Film Synopsis

Now that her aristocratic family have fallen on hard times, a proud marquise is forced to turn her somewhat dilapidated country residence into a hotel.  With the help of her daughters, Diane and Jeanne, her son-in-law Georges and granddaughter Amélie, the grand lady of the house is able to make enough money as hoteliers to just about keep up with the minor repairs to the building, but it is hardly the most lucrative of ventures, thanks to the château's proximity to a busy motorway.  Charlie, a young garage mechanic, comes to the family's rescue, by sabotaging any car that turns up at his garage to buy petrol.

One night, thanks to Charlie's efforts, the hotel has a full complement of guests.  These include the distinguished César Maricorne and his two rough-looking aides.  Maricorne is not the respectable nobleman he pretends to be, but a hardened gangster who has just stolen fifty million francs from a bank.  The marquise cannot believe her good fortune when this fact is revealed to her.  If only she can arrange for her guest to have a 'little accident' she can take his ill-gotten gains and complete the repairs to her precious family seat.  Unfortunately, Maricorne proves to be remarkably resistant to assassination attempts and he survives numerous attempts to put him out of the way.  In the end, both he and the marquise will be able to realise their dreams...