Every day, AlloCiné recommends a film to (re)watch on TV. Tonight: a classic of French laughter with a completely crazy cast.
In 1943, the Bourdelles were also invaded by the Germans, and found themselves housed in the cellar. The son, Guy-Hubert, hidden behind the features of a homosexual hairdresser, is in fact Super-Resistance, a sort of Zorro of the moment, who plots against the Nazis.
This astonishing pitch is that of a 100% cult comedy: Papy fait de la resistance, released in theaters in 1983. The delirious meeting between two generations of French laughter, that of the 70s/80s including in particular the Splendid troupe (Gérard Jugnot, Thierry Lhermitte, Christian Clavier, Michel Blanc, Josiane Balasko & Co.) and the previous one, with big names like Jean Carmet, Michel Galabru and Jacqueline Maillan.
Directed by Jean-Marie Poiré, the father of Visitors, the feature film Grandpa resists adaptation of the play of the same name written in 1981 by Christian Clavier And Thierry Lhermitteis a completely crazy comedy, with a fast pace and cult dialogue, at which it is frankly impossible not to burst out laughing.
With its truly amazing cast made up entirely of stars (it is not for nothing that the slogan of the comedy at the time of its release was “The film that cost more than The Landing”), Grandpa resists is one of a kind. We warn you if you have never seen it: this feature film, which transforms a dark page of History into a more than salutary comic trip, is a little treat.
Gérard Jugnot very very very nasty and terribly funny
It’s quite complicated, but if we had to choose one character from this great popular comedy, we would set our sights on Adolfo Ramirez, the main antagonist of the film. A very very very nasty pro-Nazi and collaborationist Frenchman played by a Gérard Jugnot at the height of his comic art. Irresistible.
Finally, we will note that Grandpa resists, panned by the press upon its theatrical release but a great public success with more than 4 million spectators in attendance, is dedicated to the memory of Louis de Funès, who was initially to play either the famous “grandpa” or the half- brother of Hitler. The actor passed away in January 1983 and it was finally Michel Galabru and Jacques Villeret who inherited the roles in question.
Want to end the weekend in a burst of laughter watching a popular cult comedy with an insane cast? So there’s no point in resisting Grandpa resists (it’s easy, sorry) and see you this evening in front of France 2!
Tonight on France 2 at 9:10 p.m.