His estranged wife is worth millions, but poor Paris resident Richard is homeless and jobless. He applied for unemployment benefits and now faces charges of fraud. To save himself from nine months in jail he must find his wife and force her to tell the courts the truth, that though she has married a politically-ambitious American governor and is filing U.S. tax returns, she is technically still married to Richard. But as she lives in America, how can he get to her? Opportunity knocks when Richard learns that she and her husband will be attending an international conference at an exclusive Paris hotel. To get in he will need a disguise.
Reviews
In terms of the iconic French romantic comedy it seems perfect in every way other than nearly twenty years old the photography seems relatively low budget and at times uses single camera editing which twenty years later causes otherwise fine low budget comedies for low budget cable television stations to fail. The social satire, screwball pace, total hilarity of this style of screwball comedy and perfect casting of its many screwball characters could not seem more perfect. Once a grand hotel in the first district of Paris seems grand only in the single camera shots of one area of its entrance lobby it seems today more for low budget cable television than the modern screen.
The rhythm is relentless, it's funny from beginning to end, it's got a social undertone, and there's a sort of "justice being done". Not with a heavy hand, but moral characters haven't got the same fate than crapules. What more can you expect? Of a French comedy or any other country or genre , by the way :)... I can only compare it with "Le diner des cons" & maybe its informal sequel, "L'invité". Much better than "Le placard" and all others.Jacques Gamblin as "Richard" is perfect as a looser with a good heart, convictions, and a good eye for women :). It's refreshing to see him in a "light" role, after his powerful performance at "Les oubliées" (TV series), in which he was a brooding police inspector tracking a long haul serial killer.Elsa Zylberstein as "Lucie", how NOT to fall for her :)? She's such a fast dazzling woman, and then the real life of "Pretty woman" shows up. Beautiful, and yet fragile. Street smart, and then making all the wrong choices in life.Jean Yanne... can we be surprised he's the perfect "funny small time sociopath", after his Bertrand in "Je règle mon pas sur le pas de mon père" (1999). He's a natural...The supporting roles are fine, from the cab driver with perpetual bad luck to Richard's fellow vagrant, Jacquot, with a hidden code of conduct in all his suffering and small escroqueries. And, let us never forget, the hapless couple "Raoul & Rose Duchemin", both impeccable, without which this film would never be the same. Daniel Prevost was indeed hilarious as David Eidelman's review states. It's unusual to watch a film in which every step is the right one, every dialogue, just perfect, and timing just couldn't be improved. A comedy can also be a masterpiece.Note: Music is fine, as "photography". Like the shot at our couple looking for his dirty jeans, hiding in a dark place surrounded by light colours, the director succeeds in getting us beauty out of ugly places.
I really enjoyed the film, in which a surprise audit of the Charles VII Hotel in Paris causes pandemonium. The Concierge is played by Daniel Prevost, who was hilarious as the tax agent in "Le Diner de Cons." When the hotel director mistakenly believes that a homeless person is a disguised tax auditor, all heck breaks loose. The film is chocked full of funny characters, including Richard, the homeless person; Jackquot, a street person trying to raise money by pretending to be from the latest country in need; Lucie, a hotel prostitute; and Roaul, a chicken farmer trying to impress. Tenue Correcte Exigee is a cute farce well worth spending 93 minutes watching.
