While “Intouchables” is broadcast this evening on TF1, a look back at a small detail from the film which escaped the whole team, and which will make fans of false connections smile.
Intouchables is the 3rd biggest success in theaters in the history of French cinema with 19.47 million total admissions in 2011. The film by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache made Omar Sy an undisputed star against a François Cluzet perfect in his role. And yet, the film is not perfect: the proof!
As a reminder, Intouchables tells the meeting between Philippe, a rich paraplegic aristocrat and Driss, a young man from the suburbs whom he hires as a home help and who has just come out of prison. Their meeting will begin as a clash of cultures and evolve into a unique friendship that will make them… untouchable!
If you take a break in the film at 19 minutes and 15 seconds, you can see that Philippe’s house (F. Cluzet) has two parking prohibition signs on which are written “Day and night”:
Gaumont
However, for the purposes of the so-called “Patrick Juvet” scene, when an unscrupulous motorist parks right in front of the entrance to the mansion of the same Philippe, preventing him from getting out by car. Driss’ blood boils, and he “shakes” the intruder by making him understand that his behavior is problematic. But this time, the inscription on the panel has changed!
Gaumont
We are at the 32nd minute of film, and it is now written “Please do not park – reserved space”. The panel has therefore been modified for the needs of the close-up and the dialogue, since the motorist played by Jérôme Pauwels is forced to read the panel, which would have been much shorter – and less clear – with a simple “Day and night “. A small mistake that the film crew couldn’t avoid and which cannot be seen unless you are very, very attentive.
The global success of “Intouchables” has been such that an incredible number of remakes including an American one, whose script has been validated by the Toledano-Nakache duo in person. Titled The Upside, it features comic Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston, Malcolm and Breaking Bad under the direction of Neil Burger (Limitless, Divergent). Other remakes have emerged, notably in India, Argentina and South Korea.